The only surviving ziggurat in Iran, Chogha Zanbil is a major remnant of the Elamite civilization. It is located near Susa, the ancient capital of Elam.

The director of the Haft-Tappeh and Chogha Zanbil Research Center, Mehdi Madahi, said on Friday that the renovation process would involve efforts to document and reinforce the structures, determine their foundations, and add new bricks.

Rain and wind have greatly damaged the Chogha Zanbil Ziggurat and its ancillary structures over the millennia, so they need to be reinforced every few years, experts say.

Built about 1250 BC under the direction of the Elamite ruler Untash-Gal during the Middle Elamite period (c. 1500–c. 1000 BC), the complex was dedicated to Inshushinak (Insusinak), the bull-god of Susa. The square base of the ziggurat, 344 feet (105 meters) on each side, was built principally of brick and cement. It now stands 80 feet (24 meters) high, less than half its estimated original height.