Jalal-e-Din Castle: Military Fortress of the Desert


Jalal-e-Din Castle: Military Fortress of the Desert

TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Jalal-e-Din Castle is one of the historic structures of the post-Islamic period in twelfth and thirteenth centuries CE, located between the two cities of Garmeh and Jajarm in North Khorasan.

Jalal-e-Din Castle is one of the most prominent military castles of North Khorasan in northeastern Iran, 5 km west of Garmeh. This castle is located on a relatively tall rocky hilltop located between Garmeh and Jajarm. It is constructed from materials such as rocks, Sarooj mortar, and sometimes bricks, and has a hexagonal plan with six rounded towers around it.

 The entrance is located on the southern side. There was also a building on top of this door in the past years. The towers and walls of the castle are about 12 meters high. Inside, it has four rooms among the towers, and there are also large jars instilled in the inner walls of the castle to store water and supplies.

On the south side and on the right side of the entrance door of this castle there is a set of stairs to access the towers to carry out guard duty. And there are openings along the entire surrounding walls and towers.

The construction site is on a massive tall rocky hilltop, with walls and tall battlements, which had turned Jalal-e-Din Castle into a strong and impenetrable fortress. A fortress which its magnificence has gained a special splendor with the implementation of new tourism projects in this area, and it attracts many tourists every year.

There is also a freshwater spring called Jalal-e-Din Spring at the bottom of the castle in the southwestern corner, and its water flows to the southeast, to the thirsty plains of Jajarm.

Regarding which personality the Jalal-e-Din Castle is attributed to, there are 12 different theories. One of these theories attributes this castle to Jalal-e-Din Seljuk, another to Jalal-e-Din, the founder of the Jalaliyah Dynasty, and other theories, to various historical and military figures.

However, the theory that seems more valid and probable than the rest, is one that recognizes this castle as a military fort from the thirteenth century AD (about 800 years ago), and attributes it to Sultan Jalal-e-Din Khwarazm Shah.

Source: Persia Digest

Most Visited in Tourism
Top Tourism stories
Top Stories