Rudkhan Castle, marvelous stronghold on peak of mountain

By Zahra Mirzafarjouyan

TEHRAN - Rudkhan Castle is a brick and stone medieval castle in Iran. It is 30 km away from the city of Fuman and just nearby its hiking starting point, lays the village of Rudkhan. To reach the castle, there are hundreds of stairs to climb and that is one of the reasons this castle is also known as “The Thousand Step Castle”.

Rudkhan Castle was a military medieval fortress built during the Sasanian Empire (224 – 651 CE) to defend the northern part of the country from southern Arab invaders. This large castle has been renovated and strengthened several times throughout the centuries.

For most of the duration of its life, the castle has been mostly used for uprisings and riots against the central power in the country, and even though it has gone through a huge amount of violence and brutality, it still stands strong, hidden in the middle of northern Gilan’s jungles. In fact, Rudkhan Castle is one of the best well preserved remains of fortifications in ancient Iran.

This one-thousand-year old castle is built with an area of 2.6 hectares and sits smartly at the two peaks of a mountain with 670 and 715 m tall and occupies 50,000 square meters of area. It is also reinforced by strong fortifications and battlements at a length of 1,550 meters. While constructing the fort, the architects benefited from the natural mountainous features of the territory. The castle's 42 towers still stand intact.

The castle consists of several parts, most notable of which are the water reservoir, twelve gates, the prison, 42 watchtowers, housings, and the king’s quarters. The king’s quarters are located on the highest point of the castle and feature breathtaking views of the surrounding area. Castle has two sections, namely one royal residence for the king and royal family, and another residence for soldiers and military activities. The east side of the Fort is a bit smaller and has more military characteristics.

There is such a river called Rudkhan Castle River, which flows near the castle, stretching from south to north. After passing through the dense forests, the big entrance gate of the castle catches your eye at the first. It is situated on the northern side of the castle and has a gate and two towers on its two wings.

To reach the castle, you need to hike in the jungle. Depending on how prepared you are, this hike can take from 1 to 2 hours. The path towards the castle is clearly marked and there are numerous small vendors on your path. The steep path to Rudkhan Castle makes it seem unreachable for some travelers, but all who have reached the castle would agree that the beauty of the jungle and the path itself are what make this hike worthwhile.

The best season to visit Rudkhan Castle is in spring and summer and visiting this area is a bit hard due to it is located in mountains in fall and winter.

If you are visiting Gilan province, don’t miss the chance to see Rudkhan’s outstanding castle. It is highly recommended to start your hike early in the morning (especially in summer, when it can get very hot and humid during the day), so you can enjoy your visit in a less crowded environment.

A vanishing paradise along Khalkhal-Asalem road

By: Morteza Ahmadi Alehashem

TEHRAN, Mar. 29 (MNA) – Asalem to Khalkhal road is one of the neglected Iran’s tourist attractions that most of the people are not aware of it. If you feel enthusiastic to see Asalem to Khalkhal Road from close, where the baking and humid sea-level atmosphere changes to a mountainous winter fridge. Asalem is a city in and the capital of Asalem District, in Talesh County, Gilan Province, Iran.

Khalkhal is located in south of Ardabil Province in a mountainous area. This city is located in eastern longitude and northern geographical latitude and limited to Kousar city from the west and Zanjan province from the south and Gilan Province from the east. Ardabil – Sarcham – Zanjan – Tehran road is located near Kazaj village, but now it has not suitable access road and asphalted road. It is 57.5 km far from Khalkhal city and the nearest city to Kazaj is Hashtjin city which is 17.5 km far from it. Architectural characteristics of Kazaj village Main architecture in this village are traditional architecture.  Most of buildings have been built in two floor forms because of limitation and high slope of earth in small area – which the first floor is for keeping domestic animals and forage store and food stuffs store of people – and in second floor of building a place is made wooden pillars for resting and eating foods in hot days of year which intricate rooms are characteristics of architecture of Kazaj buildings and one of rooms is for The guests and Provided with suitable decorations and handicraft industry products of the village – and there are some niches in each of rooms – and they are for putting valuable, precious and decorative thing and native material for whitening in coloring which is better than plaster from brightness view and the houses are whitened two times with this material. Specific architecture and buildings and lanes view is stony and staircase and old texture of this village second Masooleh among the village people and visitors. The materials used in roofs and walls of building are plaster of clay and straw which is a suitable insulator which prevents buildings and it is done once a year.  

On a recent day in Loomavesht, a village up the Asalem-Khalkal road in north Iran’s Gilan province, the men shear sheep, and the women clean the wool. A cool mist fills the air, and soon the cold weather will drive most of the villagers and their livestock down the Alborz mountains to live out the winter. During yehlagh, the old Persian name for the warm season, shepherds live here in small huts set into the rolling slopes like mushrooms, but new-fangled vacation villas tell of an approaching development boom. Up the hill, the foundations of a concrete compound commissioned by an Isfahan businessman jut out of the ground at right angles.

Undoubtedly the mountainous Asalem to Khalkhal road is one of the most gorgeous Iranian roads bridging two northern provinces of Gilan and Ardebil together. When someone goes through this provoking motorway, he feels the paradise is under his feet.

It is said that Asalem to Khalkhal Road is one of the most beautiful and spectacular roads in Iran. It is a combination of two contradictory points; the highland forest and plain together. This 70-kilometers-long road lies from the sea level to 3000 meters high, and purely depicts splendors of the motherland and its natural tourist attractions.

The road is in fact a route lies inside green velvet textile of the countryside, goes up to the heaven where a carpet of fog is beautifying the scent of fresh flora and fauna. When someone gets lost in this real-life dream, it is the time that he feels regeneration inside.

Interestingly, Asalem to Khalkhal road is one of the neglected Iran’s tourist attractions that most of the people are not aware of it. If you feel enthusiastic to see Asalem to Khalkhal Road from close, where the baking and humid sea-level atmosphere changes to a mountainous winter fridge. Asalem is a city in and the capital of Asalem District, in Talesh County, Gilan Province, Iran.

Asalem-Khalkhal Road is one of the most alluring roads of Iran to travel on. If you travel once along the road, you will never forget its unique beauty. The road that links the cities of Asalem and Khalkhal in Gilan province, northern Iran, is one of the most beautiful routes in Iran, which becomes even more pleasing during spring.