Hegmataneh, one of the oldest cities in the world and the first capital of Iran, is a symbol of the greatness of the Median civilization. This city, known in Greek as "Ecbatane", is located in the heart of modern-day Hamedan and is considered a treasure trove of Iranian history, culture, and art. The area of the hill, which is known as the largest ancient hill in Iran, reaches 30 hectares. The ancient city of Hegmataneh has a very regular architecture and plan, a huge water supply network, passages made of paving stones and square bricks, a long fence, and so on. This ancient city was the first capital of Iran and, along with Athens in Greece, Rome in Italy, and Susa in Khuzestan, is one of the few ancient cities in the world that still stands.
Hegmataneh was designed as a vast, beautiful, and very strong palace. The architects of this historical monument designed and built it as seven connected and nested castles. It seems that residential buildings were located in the vicinity of the castles. Historians have stated that the reason for this was Diako's request to move the Median people from their place of residence to the vicinity of the royal palace.
