Izadkhast complex:World Oldest Brick Castle

Izadkhast complex:World Oldest Brick Castle

A bridge and a gate in the most accessible part of the complex made it possible to connect with the surrounding areas.Its construction is unique but, from the viewpoint of materials used, can be compared with the citadels of Bam and castles built in the provinces of Yazd and Kerman.
The caravanserai can be compared with Safavid counterparts, especially the caravanserais on Isfahan-Shiraz Road. Inside the walls of the complex, there are alleyways and passages that crisscross it.
Remains of destroyed houses
Many homes, which are now fully deserted or completely destroyed, are located near the front gate.
According to the locals, as recent as the turn of the millennium, people still lived in the old part of Izadkhast, but the homes were destroyed and people were forced to move due to floods in the past two years.
Most of the homes were constructed from wood and mud. The small size of the bedrock led to the agglomeration of built rooms.
Hence, the smallness of rooms led to a rise in the number of floors, some as many as five-story high which, in view of its period, is a remarkable architectural feat.
Defensive structure
The caravanserai dates back to the Safavid dynasty (1502 -1736). The front gate was burned down by Nader Shah’s soldiers camping there during a cold night.
The bedrock, on which the complex is situated, protected the castle from the foreigners’ attacks. The tall and almost perpendicular height, ranging from 6 to 15 meters, on three sides of the complex made it almost impossible for enemies to gain access to the interior.
For further protection, on the fourth and shorter side, a moat 30 meters long, 4 meters across and 4 meters deep had been dug.
Many parts of the Izadkhast complex have collapsed due to erosion and flooding. Inside the walled city, there are clear signs of damage from treasure hunters and graffiti carved on the walls by vandals.
Qal’eh Dokhtar
Qal’eh Dokhtar is an ancient castle built by Ardeshir I located on a mountain slope near the Firouzabad-Shiraz Road.
The castle’s name implies it was dedicated to Goddess Anahita. After capturing Isfahan and Kerman from the Parthians, Ardeshir built the city of Gur near his castle in Firouzabad, making it his capital.
After defeating Ardavan V, the Parthian king in a great battle in 224 AD, he built the Palace of Ardeshir near the Qal’eh Dokhtar structure.
The castle is built on a high mound that overlooks the river and road running south from Fars. The entrance to the castle is a tall gateway within a large, rectangular tower. Inside, a broad stairway leads to a rectangular hall, with blind niches on either side and two large buttresses at the east end.
The fortified palace contains many of the recurring features of Sassanian palace and civic architecture: long halls, arches, domes, recessed windows, and stairways. The construction is made of rough stone and mortar, but the surfaces had a thick coating of plaster or stucco, giving it a smooth and elegant appearance. The 1,800-year-old castle has lost four meters of its original height over the last century and experts warn if urgent measures are not taken to enforce its foundation, the castle may soon collapse.