Throughout the history of Iran, especially in prehistoric and early history, castles have played an important role in the fortification of the country. They were usually maintained by officials on important routes or cities, and most of them were in unmarked heights with steep slopes or cliffs. Such places have always served as a natural defenses against enemies and offer a panoramic view of the surrounding lands, so cities and surrounding lands can be defended. Most of Iran's castles had springs or wells, except for those that were previously surrounded by water.
Important castles
| Name | Location | Picture | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arg-e Bam | Bam |  |
There is no precise archaeological dating of the buildings of the Citadel of Bam. But through historic sources and ancient texts, the first human settlement in the area can be traced back to the fort built by the Achaemenians around 579–323 BC. Some of the citadel's features such as its establishment on a platform combining a natural hilltop and a manmade terrace have been compared by archaeologists to the Achaemenian model of Persepolis. During the Parthian rule, the fort was expanded and became Arg-e-Bam, the Citadel of Bam. |
| Alamut Castle | Alamut |  |
The Alamut castle was built by the Justanid ruler Wahsudan b. Marzuban, a follower of Zaydi Shi'ism, around 865 AD. During a hunting trip, he witnessed a soaring eagle perch down high on a rock. Realizing the tactical advantage of this location, he chose the site for the construction of a fortress, which was called "Aluh āmūt" likely meaning "Eagle's Teaching" or "Nest of Punishment". Alamut remained under Justanid control until the arrival of the Isma'ili chief da’i (missionary) Hasan-i Sabbah to the castle in 1090 AD, marking the start of the Alamut period in Nizari Isma'ili history. |
| Atashgah Castle | Kashmar |  |
The location of the castle is strategically interesting. This fort is one of the most prominent and superior ancient forts of Iran in terms of inaccessibility and resistance against invaders and easily competes with the fortifications of Babak Fort in Kaleybar and Alamut Castle in Alamut. This shows that the builders of the castle have carried out extensive field studies to locate it. In total, Atashgah Castle is built on a high rocky cliff and difficult to cross, three sides of which are high and dangerous precipices. Around this cliff, shortly after the precipices, the walls of other high cliffs have re-enclosed it in the form of impenetrable and inaccessible fortifications. |
| Babak Fort | Kaleybar |  |
The castle, built on 2300–2600 meter heights, surrounded by 400 to 600 meter gorges, is accessed via a long series of broken steps that lead to the top of a hill. Thereafter, the easiest route is a long dirt track. No signs lead to the Castle. At the end of the dirt track, the route turns left. The first sign of the ruins appears on the left, leaving two peaks to cross. The first peak has views of the Castle. After ascending a second peak, with additional ruins, the trail passes sheer cliffs on the right with no railings. |
| Falak-ol-Aflak | Khoramabad |  |
Falak-ol-Aflak castle is amongst the most important structures built during the Sassanid era. It has been known by a number of names since it was built over 1800 years ago. Recorded names have referred to it as Shapur-Khast or Sabr-Khast fortress, Dezbaz, Khoramabad castle, and ultimately the Falak-ol-Aflak Castle. Under the Pahlavi dynasty, after being used as a prison until 1968, it was transformed into a museum complex. |
| Iraj Castle | Asgarabad-e Abbasi |  |
The structure consists of an empty area approximately 175 hectares (430 acres), surrounded by a wall 15–22 metres (49–72 ft) in width and up to 25 metres (82 ft) in height. It featured 148 densely spaced towers and four monumental gates. The massive walls contained a wealth of embedded structures: a row of around 828 rooms (circa 12 square metres (130 sq ft) in size) and hundreds of monumental arches, evoking royal Sasanian architecture. The structure was further protected by a ditch around the wall. A population of 2,000-6,000 could have been accommodated in the walls. |
| Izad-Khast Castle | Izadkhvast | _-_panoramio.jpg) |
The history of the castle complex dates back to the pre-Islamic era of Iran. Izad-Khast is a Sassanid castle, built during the Sassanid Empire (224 to 651 AD) which ruled Persia (Iran) and many parts of the surrounding countries. It was then used, added and improved on until Qajars era (1794 to 1925). This has left works inside the castle belonging to different periods from Sassanids to Qajars with different architectural styles. |
| Rudkhan Castle | Fuman County | _-_panoramio.jpg) |
Rudkhan Castle sits at the two peaks of a mountain at elevations of 715 and 670 metres and contains strong fortifications and battlements at a length of 1,550 metres. The castle's 42 towers still stand intact. |
| Rayen Castle | Rayen |  |
it's become an attractive touristic destination. During the reign of third Yazdgerd, the Sasanid King, Arabs could not conquer this city due to its high walls. |
| Qal'eh Dokhtar | Firuzabad |  |
The 1,800-year-old castle has lost some four meters of its original height over the last century and experts warn if urgent measures are not taken to enforce it, the castle may soon collapse. |
| Narin Castle | Meybod |  |
This building has been built as an old fortress with 3 different floors, each for a different class of society. Although all outer gates have been destroyed the inner castle still exists. You can still see some of the outer walls. |
List of castles in Iran
 | This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2012) |
This is a list of castles in Iran.
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| Name | Persian name | Location | Founder and Era | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chah Afzal castle | قلعه چاه افضل | Ardakan County | Safavid dynasty | |
| Chah Nu castle | قلعه چاه نو | Ardakan County | Afsharid dynasty | |
| Chahkanduk castle | قلعه چهکندوک | Birjand County | Qajar dynasty | |
| Chaleshtar castle | قلعه چالشتر | Chaleshtar | Qajar dynasty |  |
| Chanef castle | قلعه چانف | Nik Shahr County | Qajar dynasty |  |
| Chavar Qala Castle | قلعه چوارقلا | Ilam County | ||
| Chakor Buli Chavar Castle | قلعه چکر بولی چوار | Ilam County | ||
| Chehel Dar castle | قلعه چهل در | Savadkuh County | 13th century | .jpg){kind=spacer} |
| Chehel Dokhtar Castle | قلعه چهل دختر | Iranshahr County | Sasanian Empire | |
| Chehel Dokhtar castle | قلعه چهل دختر | Qaen County | Nizari Ismaili state | |
| Chehel Dokhtaran castle | قلعه چهل دختران | Hamun County | Sasanian Empire | |
| Chehriq | قلعه چهریق | Chahriq-e Olya | Before the Medes |  |
| Chimarud castle | قلعه چیمارود | Rudbar County | Nizari Ismaili state | |
| Chobin Castle | قلعه چوبین | Malayer County | Sasanian Empire | |
| Chogha Zanbil | چغازنبیل | Susa | Elam |  |
| Chowgan castle | قلعه چوگان | Bafq County | Qajar dynasty |
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| Name | Persian name | Location | Founder and Era | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Esfandaqeh castle | قلعه اسفندقه | Jiroft County | Pahlavi dynasty | |
| Estanavand Naruheh castle | قلعه استاناوند ناروهه | Garmsar County | Nizari Ismaili state | |
| Eshgaft-e Moneh castle | قلعه اشگفت منه | Bastak County | Sasanian Empire | |
| Eshkanan castle | قلعه اشکنان | Lamerd County | Qajar dynasty | |
| Espakeh castle | قلعه اسپکه | Espakeh | Middle Ages Historical periods after Islam |  |
| Espidezh castle | قلعه اسپیدژ | Iranshahr County | Early centuries of historical periods after Islam | |
| Ernan castle | قلعه ارنان | Ernan, Yazd | Qajar dynasty |  |
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| Name | Persian name | Location | Founder and Era | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falak-ol-Aflak | فلکالافلاک | Khorramabad | Sasanian Empire | |
| Falis castle | قلعه فالیس | Taleqan County | Historical periods after Islam | |
| Fathabad castle | قلعه فتحآباد | Ekhtiarabad |  | |
| Fatuyeh castle | قلعه فتویه | Bastak County | Pre-Islamic period | |
| Faizabad castle | قلعه فیضآباد | Buin Zahra County | Historical periods after Islam | |
| Fin Castle | قلعه فین | Bandar Abbas County |  | |
| Firuzabad castle | قلعه فیروزآباد | Sarbaz County | Historical periods after Islam | |
| Firuzkuh castle | قلعه فیروزکوه | Firuzkuh | 13th century |  |
| Faradonbeh castle | قلعه فرادنبه | Borujen County | Qajar dynasty |  |
| Forud Castle | قلعه فرود | Kalat | Parthian Empire |  |
| Fort of Our Lady of the Conception | قلعه هرمز | Hormuz Island | Safavid dynasty | .jpg) |
| Furg Citadel | قلعه فورگ | Furg, Darmian | Afsharid dynasty |  |
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| Name | Persian name | Location | Founder and Era | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gabar Hesar castle | قلعه گبر حصار | Kuhsorkh County | second to fifth centuries AH | |
| Gabaran castle | قلعه گبران | Savojbolagh County | Historical periods after Islam | |
| Gabri Castle | قلعه گبری | Ray | Sasanian Empire |  |
| Gabri Dehdaq Castle | قلعه گبری دهدق | Abadeh County | ||
| Gachi castle | قلعه گچی | Arsanjan County |  | |
| Gahur Castle | قلعه گهور | Eshtehard | ||
| Gari Kouh Tower | برج گری کوه | Kuhij | ||
| Ganj Ali Khan castle | قلعه گنجعلیخان | Kerman County | Safavid dynasty |  |
| Gerdkooh Hills | تپه گردکوه جمنان | Qaem Shahr | Parthian Empire |  |
| Gerdkuh | گردکوه | Damghan |  | |
| Garmez castle | قلعه گرمز | Behbahan County | Sasanian Empire | |
| Geli castle | قلعه گلی | Mohammadabad, Qomrud | Parthian Empire |  |
| Golshekanan castle | قلعه گل شکنان | Ardestan County | Safavid dynasty | |
| Gouged Stronghold | ارگ گوگد | Guged |  | |
| Gud Qalat castle | قلعه گود قلات | Arsanjan County | Sasanian Empire | |
| Guria castle | قلعه گوریا | Eyvan County | Sasanian Empire | |
| Gurkanan castle | قلعه گورکنن | Esfarayen County | Early and middle centuries of post-Islamic historical periods |
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| Irandegan_Castle.jpgName | Persian name | Location | Founder and Era | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ilud castle | قلعه ایلود | Bastak County | Parthian Empire and Safavid dynasty | |
| Iraj Castle | قلعه ایرج | Pishva County | Sasanian Empire | |
| Irandegan castle | قلعه ایرندگان | Deh Qaleh | Qajar dynasty |  |
| Ismail Khan castle | قلعه اسماعیلخان | Ilam County | Historical periods after Islam | |
| Ispahbudhan castle | قلعه اسپهبدان | Rudbar County | Nizari Ismaili state | |
| Izad-Khast Castle | دژ ایزدخواست | Izadkhast | Sasanian Empire | |
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| Name | Persian name | Location | Founder and Era | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalal al-Din castle | قلعه جلالالدین | Jajarm County |  | |
| Jalali Castle | قلعه جلالی | Kashan | Seljuq dynasty |  |
| Jamshidi Castle | قلعه جمشیدی | Nimvar | Sasanian Empire | |
| Jiq Qareh Tapeh Daz castle | قلعه جیق قره تپه داز | Aqqala County | Historical periods after Islam | |
| Junqan castle | قلعه جونقان | Junqan | Qajar dynasty |  |
| Jushin castle | قلعه جوشین | Varzaqan County | Sasanian Empire | .jpg) |
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| Name | Persian name | Location | Founder and Era | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laft castle | قلعه لافت | Qeshm County | Qajar dynasty | |
| Larak castle | قلعه لارک | Larak Island | Safavid dynasty | |
| Lambsar Castle | دژ لمسر | Qazvin | Sasanian Empire |  |
| Leshtan castle | قلعه لشتان | Bandar Lengeh County | Ninth century AH |  |
| Lawajik castle | قلعه لواجیک | Buin Zahra County | Early centuries of historical periods after Islam | |
| Lisar castle | قلعه لیسار | Lisar | Seljuk Empire |  |
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| Name | Persian name | Location | Founder and Era | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nahavand Castle | قلعه نهاوند | Nahavand | Sasanian Empire |  |
| Nakam castle | قلعه ناکام | Aligudarz County | Qajar dynasty | |
| Naryn Castle, Ardabil | نارین قلعه | Ardabil | ||
| Naryn Castle, Meybod | نارینقلعه | Meybod | Sasanian Empire | |
| Naryn Castle, Nain | نارین قلعه | Nain, Iran | Parthian Empire |  |
| Naryn Castle, Sardrud | نارین قلعه | Sardrud | 1st millennium BC | |
| Nameq Castle | قلعه نامق | Nameq | Before the Mongol conquest | |
| Navader castle | قلعه نوادر | Abhar County | Early centuries of historical periods after Islam | |
| Naseri Castle | قلعه ناصری | Iranshahr | Qajar dynasty |  |
| Nasori castle | قلعه نصوری | Bandar Siraf | Qajar dynasty |  |
| Nehbandan Citadel | قلعه نهبندان | Nehbandan | Parthian Empire | |
| Nik Shahr castle | قلعه نیکشهر | Nik Shahr | Parthian Empire | |
| Noushijan | نوشیجان | Malayer | Medes |  |
| Nowferest castle | قلعه نوفرست | Birjand County | 3rd and 4th centuries AH until the Safavid dynasty | |
| Nughab castle | قلعه نوغاب | Birjand County | 12th to 14th centuries AH |
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| Name | Persian name | Location | Founder and Era | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owlad castle | قلعه اولاد | Savadkuh County | Sasanian Empire | |
| Owltan castle | قلعه اولتان | Parsabad | Parthian Empire |
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| Name | Persian name | Location | Founder and Era | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pa Deh castle | قلعه پاده | Pa Deh, Semnan |  | |
| Pahlavan Badi castle | قلعه پهلوان بادی | Taft County | Ancient Persia | |
| Palace of Ardashir | کاخ اردشیر بابکان | Firuzabad, Fars | Sasanian Empire |  |
| Palangan castle | قلعه پلنگان | Behshahr County | Historical periods after Islam | |
| Panj Berar Murmuri castle | قلعه پنج برار مور موری | Abdanan County | ||
| Paqala Hezarani castle | قلعه پاقلاع هزارانی | Ilam County | Sasanian Empire | |
| Pirouz Got castle | قلعه پیروز گت | Tis, Iran | Parthian Empire and Sasanian Empire | |
| Parvizeh Evaz castle | قلعه پرویزه اوز | Evaz County | Sasanian Empire | |
| Posht Qaleh Abdanan castle | قلعه پشت قلعه آبدانان | Abdanan County | Sasanian Empire | |
| Posht Qaleh Chavar | پشت قلعه چوار | Ilam County | Historical periods after Islam | |
| Poshtab Castle | قلعه پشتاب | Ahar County | Before the Medes | _resize.jpg) |
| Poulad Castle | قلعه پولاد | Nur County | Seljuq dynasty |  |
| Pur Ashraf Sheykh Makan castle | قلعه پور اشرف شیخ مکان | Darreh Shahr County | 1335 AH | |
| Puskan castle | قلعه پوسکان | Kazerun County | Sasanian Empire |
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| Name | Persian name | Location | Founder and Era | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tabreh Castle | دژ طبره | Isfahan County | Sasanian Empire |  |
| Tarq Castle | قلعه طرق | Tarq, Isfahan | Parthian Empire |  |
| Tak Aghaj Castle | قلعه تک آغاج | Astara County | Seljuk Empire | |
| Takht-e Soleymān | تخت سلیمان | West Azerbaijan Province | Sasanian Empire |  |
| Tang Lorun Castle | قلعه تنگ لرون | Bavanat County | Sasanian Empire | |
| Tawseelah Castle | قلعه توصیله | Kukherd | Sasanian Empire | |
| Tepe Sialk | تپه سیلک | Kashan | Proto-Elamite |  |
| Timur Castle | قلعه تیمور | Zabol County | Timurid Empire | |
| Tis Castle | قلعه تیس | Tis | Safavid dynasty |  |
| Tizak Castle | قلعه تیزک | Abarkuh County | Qajar dynasty | |
| Tut Castle | قلعه توت | Ilam | ||
| Tutangi Meseh Castle | قلعه توتنگی مسه | Bavanat County | Sasanian Empire | |
| Tus Citadel | قلعه توس | Tafresh County | Sasanian Empire |
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| Name | Persian name | Location | Founder and Era | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valy Castle | قلعه والی | Ilam | Qajar dynasty |  |
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| Name | Persian name | Location | Founder and Era |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yahn castle | قلعه یهن | Birjand County | Timurid Empire to Safavid dynasty |
| Yazdegerd castle, Zardeh | قلعه یزدگرد | Zardeh | Parthian Empire |
| Yengejeh castle | قلعه ینگجه | Ardabil County | Seljuk Empire |
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| Name | Persian name | Location | Founder and Era | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zahhak Castle | قلعه ضحاک | Arablu, East Azerbaijan | Parthian Empire |  |
| Zar Bolagh castle | قلعه زاربلاغ | Aliabad, Qom | Medes | |
| Zard Castle | قلعه زرد | Damghan County | Historical periods after Islam | _%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%DB%8C_%D8%B4%D9%85%D8%B3_%D8%A2%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%AF.JPG) |
| Zardak Castle | قلعه زردک | Ardakan County | Qajar dynasty | |
| Zendan Castle | قلعه زندان | Deyr County | Sasanian Empire |  |
| Ziaratgah Castle | قلعه زیارتگاه | Ziaratgah | Qajar dynasty |  |
| Zibad Castle | قلعه زیبد | Zibad |  | |
| Ziwiyeh | تپه قلعه زیویه | Ziviyeh | 1st millennium BC |  |
See also
References
- "TOP 12 MOST INCREDIBLE CASTLES IN IRAN". Surf Iran. surfiran.com. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
- "Bam and Arg-e-Bam, Iran". Auroville Earth Institute, UNESCO.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- Daftary, Farhad (2007-09-20). The Isma'ilis: Their History and Doctrines. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781139465786.
- ^ Virani, Shafique N. (2007). The Ismailis in the Middle Ages: A History of Survival, a Search for Salvation. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195311730.
- Petrushevskiĭ, Ilʹi͡a Pavlovich (1985). Islam in Iran. SUNY Press. p. 363, Note 40. ISBN 0887060706: The numerical value of the word (الموت) is 483, which is the date of the castle's capture by Hassan-i Sabbah (483 AH = 1090/91 AD).
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link) - Hourcade, B. (December 15, 1985). "ALAMŪT". Encyclopædia Iranica. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
According to legend, an eagle indicated the site to a Daylamite ruler; hence the name, from aloh (eagle) and āmū(ḵ)t (taught).
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