Financial Tribune- Italian experts from Restauratori Senza Frontiere (Institute of Restorers Without Borders) have joined Iranian heritage authorities to restore the Persepolis historical monument located in Fars Province.

Kamran Ahmadi, the head of Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism, announced that Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization and Persepolis World Heritage Base signed a memorandum of understanding with the Italian institute on Monday to receive their scientific, educational, research and technical assistance, ILNA reported.

"The five-year agreement is focused on documentation, protection and restoration of Persepolis and its surrounding ancient structures," Ahmadi said.

Holding training sessions on protection and restoration of historical monuments, publishing the results of researches in the form of catalogues and establishing a database for heritage sites are also other joint plans covered by the MoU.

Founded by Darius I in 518 BC, Persepolis was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire. It was devastated by Alexander the Great in 333 BC and has been in ruins ever since.

A magnificent example of Achaemenid architecture, the ruins were declared a World Heritage Site in 1979.