Bahestan Castle; Mysterious Memento of Medes Era

Bahestan Castle; Mysterious Memento of Medes Era

As we explained in the last posts, Iran has different castles because of its situation in middle east. In this post, we want to familiarize you with a mysterious castle that dates back to Medes era.

Bahestan Castle is located in Mahneshan County in Zanjan Province. Mahneshan county is situated 113 kilometers west of Zanjan Province. Age of this city is 4000 years and it started to develop after Aryan emigration.

Bahestan Castle (Old Fort)

The castle is located near Bahestan Village. Name of this castle is because of the village near it. The other name of Bahestan is demon because old people believed that demons at nights stand and rest on the walls. There are chimneys on the walls of the castle that are built by demons based on beliefs. Material of the castle is hard soil which has different shapes today, due to erosion. Some parts of the castle are like towers made of stones. Based on geologies, this structure is named as Hoodoo. There are holes down of the castle which have made the shape of it mysterious. Based on researches about the castle, rulers of the region built here like a fort to defend their people. At first, researchers were thinking that the castle dates back to Achaemenid or Sassanid era, but more researches demonstrated that here dates back to Medes period. There are clay palates and vases of Islamic era found in the castle showing that here was used from 200 years B.C until the last years of 13^th century.

Lower parts of the castle were used for stockpile and higher parts were used as towers for defending and observing. There are zigzag stairs on the eastern and western part of the castle starting from northern section. Because of erosion during the time, some parts of the stairs are destroyed, but stairway of northeastern part of the castle are intact. At the top of the northeastern stairway, there is a part like an alter that shows its Islamic architecture. Because of destroyed parts, just mountaineers can reach the top of the castle. Main parts are divided into four parts:

1. Rooms
2. Watching Towers
3. Stairways
4. Hallway

All and all, Bahestan Castle has 64 rooms and 2 stairways. Unfortunately, stairs of the castle destroyed during the time.

How to Get There?

For getting there, you should go to Mahneshan from Zanjan city. 20 kilometers near Mahneshan, follow the Mahneshan to Bahestan road. After reaching Igli Bulaq, follow the secondary way to Bahestaan castle.

Address: Iran, Zanjan Province, Mahneshan, Bahestan Castle

Leave your comments about this place below.

Prev 1 of 4 Next