A Thousand Steps to Iran's Rudkhan Castle
- 13 years ago
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And now we take you to a castle in the thick woods of Iran. It's not so easy to reach, but still tourists flock there every weekend to enjoy the sights and history of Rudkhan Castle. Let's take a look.
Some Iranians call it Hezar Pelle, or a "thousand steps," because to get there, you have to climb at least a thousand steps. And many feel it's worth the effort. Every weekend people of all ages and backgrounds visit the Rudkhan Castle near the city of Fuman in Gilan province. The castle has become an attraction for both locals and tourists from abroad.
Rudkhan Castle was a base for Gilan governors for hundreds of years. Thanks to its sturdy construction, the steep slope it was built on, and the thick foggy climate of the area, it was ideal for defense and rarely attacked by enemies.
The castle was built sometime during the Sassanid Empire era between 224 and 651 AD, and was renovated during the Seljuk Dynasty in the 11th and 12th century. It covers an area of 12 acres (5 hectares) and its walls measure 16 to 39 feet (5 to12 meters) in height. The structure was built out of rocks, bricks, and saruj—a mixture of lime, eggs, natural fibers such as human hair and sheep's wool, and burned animal manure. It survived a 7.4 magnitude earthquake that shook the area in 1990.
Many rooms inside the castle were built with a dome-shaped structure to reduce the impact of rain and snow. And very little wood was used in its construction to avoid fires and degradation from humidity.
The exterior walls have rectangular cuts. Soldiers used them to aim their weapons at enemies when under attack.
Because of the high volume of rain and humidity in the region, plants in great abundance have grown and interwoven themselves with the walls of the castle.
Tourist are also attracted by the tall, thick trees and stunning and untouched nature of the area surrounding Rudkhan Castle.
NTD News, Iran
And now we take you to a castle in the thick woods of Iran. It's not so easy to reach, but still tourists flock there every weekend to enjoy the sights and history of Rudkhan Castle. Let's take a look.
Some Iranians call it Hezar Pelle, or a "thousand steps," because to get there, you have to climb at least a thousand steps. And many feel it's worth the effort. Every weekend people of all ages and backgrounds visit the Rudkhan Castle near the city of Fuman in Gilan province. The castle has become an attraction for both locals and tourists from abroad.
Rudkhan Castle was a base for Gilan governors for hundreds of years. Thanks to its sturdy construction, the steep slope it was built on, and the thick foggy climate of the area, it was ideal for defense and rarely attacked by enemies.
The castle was built sometime during the Sassanid Empire era between 224 and 651 AD, and was renovated during the Seljuk Dynasty in the 11th and 12th century. It covers an area of 12 acres (5 hectares) and its walls measure 16 to 39 feet (5 to12 meters) in height. The structure was built out of rocks, bricks, and saruj—a mixture of lime, eggs, natural fibers such as human hair and sheep's wool, and burned animal manure. It survived a 7.4 magnitude earthquake that shook the area in 1990.
Many rooms inside the castle were built with a dome-shaped structure to reduce the impact of rain and snow. And very little wood was used in its construction to avoid fires and degradation from humidity.
The exterior walls have rectangular cuts. Soldiers used them to aim their weapons at enemies when under attack.
Because of the high volume of rain and humidity in the region, plants in great abundance have grown and interwoven themselves with the walls of the castle.
Tourist are also attracted by the tall, thick trees and stunning and untouched nature of the area surrounding Rudkhan Castle.
NTD News, Iran