Izad-Khast Castle

Izadkhast Castle as seen in August 2018.
Izadkhast Shown within Iran
Alternative name	Izadkhast, Yazdkhast, Yazd khast
Location	Izadkhvast,Abadeh County, Iran
Region	Fars province
Coordinates	31°30′58″N52°07′26″E / 31.51611°N 52.12389°E /31.51611; 52.12389
Type	Castle
Part of	The Complex of Izadkhast
Height	6-15 metres (20-50 feet)[1]
History
Material	Adobe (World's first adobe castle)[2]
Founded	Sasanian era (224-651 AD)[2]
Site notes
Condition	Ruined
Public access	Yes
Architecture
Architectural styles	Sasanian architecture,Qajar architecture
Designation	onUNESCOWorld Heritage Tentative List since 2007.

TheIzad Khast Castle (Persian:دژ ایزدخواست,romanized: Dezh-e Izadkhast) is located inIzadkhast inFars province,Iran. Thecastle was built during theSasanian era (224 to 651 AD)^[3] and functioned as a fortified walled city on the ancientSilk Road that ran through central Iran. It is the second largest adobe building in the world afterArg-e Bam.^[2]

The castle was built on a high bedrock overlooking the Izadkhast valley. Inside the castle walls are many narrow alleyways and passages criss-crossing through centuries old tiny houses and buildings.^[2]

The castle and surroundingIzadkhast complex has been nominated to theUNESCOWorld Heritage Tentative List on 9 August 2007, in the Cultural category.^[4]

The Izad-Khast castle is located on the ancientSilk Road betweenShiraz andIsfahan. The site is in the middle of nowhere and surrounded by a desert land. But a high singular bedrock overlooking a valley was an ideal location for the development of a fortified desert city in the middle of nowhere.^[2]

The Izadkhvast castle is built on this singular bedrock that juts out to the Izadkhast valley. The valley around it functions as a natural deep trench. Castle fortification walls have been built around the bedrock, tall and almost perpendicular, ranging from 6 to 15 meters on three sides. On the fourth and shorter side of the bedrock, a 30-meter (100 feet) long trench had been dug. The trench is 4 meters across and 4 meters deep. Access to the castle was over the trench, through a small bridge and a gate.^[1]

The site's natural topography and added fortifications made the castle one of the most unattainable buildings of the ancient times for robbers and enemies.^[2]

On the valley below the castle bedrock are rocky fields, with a barren plateau behind. TheIzadkhast caravanserai roadside inn stands alone in this valley, in the middle of a rocky field.^[5]

The history of the castle complex dates back to the pre-Islamic era of Iran. Izad-Khast is a castle built during theSasanian Empire (224 to 651 AD) which ruledIran (Persia) and many parts of the surrounding countries.^[2] It was then used, added and improved on until theQajar era (1794 to 1925). This has left works inside the castle belonging to different eras from the Sasanians to the Qajars with different architectural styles.^[1]

Thefire temple of Izad Khast Castle from the Sasanian era was turned into amosque after the advent ofIslam to Iran.^[2]

The castle and complex are now completely abandoned. However, until the turn of the millennium there were still people living in the old quarters of Izadkhast. Floods in recent years destroyed many homes and forced people to move from this isolated, ancient desert citadel.^[1]

In 1889,Theodore Bent and his wife celebratedNowruz in the town.^[6]

The castle's location and form of construction display unique characteristics. However, its materials are comparable to those found in nearby sites in Yazd and Kerman provinces such asArg-e Bam andRayen Castle. The architecture of Izadkhast castle is very similar to the more feted Arg-e Bam. The Izad-Khast castle like Arg-e Bam is a sand construction, made ofadobe.^[2]

The castle is aSasanian (224 to 651 AD) structure,^[1] but the interior has seen modifications and new structures such as a mosque and a bathroom were added later.^[2]

Most of the homes in the castle interior are built from wood and mud. Size limitations of the bedrock led to an agglomeration of smaller rooms and increase of floors. Some of the buildings inside the castle rose as high as five storeys. It is impressive in itself but becomes a remarkable architectural achievement considering the circumstances of its time.^[1]

TheIzadkhast Caravanserai was built during theSafavid era (1502 – 1736).^[1]

Many parts of the Izadkhast castle are crumbling due to erosion and flooding. Many homes even beside the castle front gate have been completely destroyed.^[1]

The castle is also in danger from treasure hunters and vandalism. Inside the walled city, there are signs of damage from treasure hunters and graffiti on the walls.^[1]

• 
  Drawing byJean Chardin, 1670s
• 
  Phitograph, eraly 20th century
• 
• 
  Entrance of the castle.
• 
  part of the old castle.
• 
  Ruins of the old town
• 
  The drawbridge of the castle
• 
  Safavid era bridge
• 
  Samanidcaravanserai near the castle of Izadkhast.

• Complex of Izadkhast
• Izadkhast Caravanserai
• List of castles in Iran
• List of World Heritage Sites in Iran

• Architecture in Iran
• Sasanian castles
• Buildings and structures in Fars province
• Castles in Iran
• Buildings and structures on the Iran National Heritage List

• Pages using gadget WikiMiniAtlas
• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Coordinates on Wikidata
• Articles containing Persian-language text