2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire

Celebration of the 2,500th Anniversary of the Founding of the Persian Empire

The Cyrus Cylinder, which was framed by the Iranian king Mohammad Reza Pahlavi as the event's official logo, owing to his claim that it was the "first charter of human rights" in history.
Persepolis Location of Persepolis, which was the ceremonial capital city of the Achaemenid Empire, and which therefore served as the event's primary venue.
Native name	جشن‌های ۲۵۰۰ ساله شاهنشاهی ایران
Date	12–16 October 1971 (1971-10-12 – 1971-10-16)
Location	Imperial State of Iran
Coordinates	29°56′04″N 52°53′29″E / 29.93444°N 52.89139°E / 29.93444; 52.89139
Also known as	2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire
Motive	Honouring the legacy of ancient Iran under the Achaemenid dynasty and showcasing the progress of modern Iran under the Pahlavi dynasty

The 2,500-year celebration of the Persian Empire,^[1] officially known as the 2,500-year celebration of the Empire of Iran (Persian: جشن‌های ۲۵۰۰ ساله شاهنشاهی ایران), was hosted by the Pahlavi dynasty in the Imperial State of Iran in October 1971. Concentrated at Persepolis, it consisted of an elaborate set of grand festivities that sought to honour the legacy of the Achaemenid Empire, which was founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC.^[2][3] The event was aimed at highlighting ancient Iranian history and also showcasing the country's contemporary advances under Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who had been reigning as the Shah of Iran since 1941.^[4][5] The site brought sixty members of royalty and heads of state from abroad.^[6]

Some historians take the view that this massive display of seemingly unlimited royal wealth contributed to the Iranian populace's growing frustration with the Pahlavi dynasty, while others argue that the extravagance of the proceedings was exaggerated during the Islamic Revolution to discredit the Shah's regime.^[5] As a result, some accounts have overstated the event's costs and luxuries.