Firooz Abad (Firuzabad)

Firuzabad (also Firooz Abad or Shahr-e Gur) is a city in and the capital of Firuzabad County, Fars Province, Iran. Firooz Abad is located south of Shiraz. The town is surrounded by a mud wall and ditch. The original ancient city of Gor, dating back to the Achaemenid period, was destroyed by Alexander the Great. Centuries later, Ardashir I, the founder of the Sassanian Empire, revived the city before it was ransacked during the Arab Muslim invasion of the seventh century. It was again revived by the Buyids, but was eventually abandoned in the Qajar period and was replaced by a nearby village, which is now Firuzabad. Gor dates back to the Achaemenid era. It was situated in a low-lying area of the region, so, during his invasion of Persia, Alexander the Great was able to drown the city by directing the flow of a river into the city. The lake he created remained until Ardashir I built a tunnel to drain it. He founded his new capital city on this site.