In the early fourteenth century, a Franciscan monk, Odoric of Pordenone, visited Persepolis on his way to China. This was the beginning of Europe's rediscovery of the long-forgotten Achaemenid period. In 1617, Don Garcia de Silva Figueroa correctly identified the site of Persepolis.

As interest in Persia grew, an increasing number of Europeans travelled there. Several of them wrote accounts of their visits and made drawings and plans of Persepolis. These included Jean Chardin, a Frenchman who spent four years in Persia (1673-7), and the Dutchman Cornelis de Bruijn, who visited Persepolis in 1704-5 and recorded many of the standing monuments. During the nineteenth century, European commercial and political interest in Persia grew at the same time as Iranians became increasingly fascinated by their own ancient heritage.

Archaeologists of several nationalities became active in Persia, except during a brief period (1895-1927) when the French were the only foreigners who were permitted to excavate. By 1930, the Oriental Institute of Chicago was leading excavations at Persepolis with the full support of the Iranian ruler Reza Shah. Motifs from the site became very popular and were used on banknotes and public buildings. The ancient past was enthusiastically promoted, especially around 1971 surrounding the celebration of 2500 years since the foundation of the Persian Empire by Cyrus.