Izad-Khast Castle, a masterpiece of Sassanid architecture, is located in Fars province. This fascinating castle or fortress is the first multi-store clay brick monument in the world and is the second world’s largest clay brick monument after Arg-e Bam in Kerman. Izad -Khast, also called Yazd Khast, is located in the central part of Abadeh city in Fars Province. Abadeh is located 270 kilometers north of Shiraz. Izad-Khast is an ancient city. Many foreign tourists and travelers have mentioned this city and its castle in their travelogue and journal.
The origin of the ancient castle of Izad-Khast goes back to the Sassanid period. It is located 7 kilometers north of Izad-Khast and 75 kilometers north of Abadeh. According to archaeological excavations, the civilization in this area of Abadeh dates back to thousands of years BC, but its development and extension began almost after Karim Khan Zand made Shiraz the capital of Iran.
Izad-Khast Castle was built in Sassanid era. But later, buildings such as mosques and baths were added to it. The beautiful bathhouse (Hammam) at the corner of this multi-store castle is one of the most important public buildings in this great castle. The bathhouse consists of two parts: a Sarbine (the changing room) and a Garm-khaneh (the main washing place in ancient bathhouses). The presence of such a bath in the heart of this historic castle, which was later added to the castle, demonstrates the prosperity and prestige of the Izad-Khast Castle during the Safavid era.
The castle has an Atash-kadeh (A fire temple in Zoroastrianism) almost in the middle. The fire temple symbolizes the importance of religion in ancient Persia. The Izad-Khast Atash-kadeh, a four-vaulted building with eleven meters high stone columns, is one of the most famous fire temples in Fars province. It turned into a mosque in the ninth century in post-Islamic period.
This ancient castle is also called by other names such as the Sarsang Castle or the Old Castle. The castle has some amazing features that make it unique. An interesting point about the Izad-Khast Castle is its similarity to the Arg-e Bam in Kerman province. The striking architecture of the fortress is such that small houses are built in narrow streets. One of the special features of this castle is its remarkable security, as it has been one of the most inaccessible monuments to invaders and enemies because of the deep moat around it. The grandeur of this castle will amaze you.
The Izad-Khast Castle is built on a sedimentary rock that reaches natural cliffs on three sides and is therefore highly secure. The only way to get into the castle was from the south by a wooden bridge on the moat.
It is the world’s first multi-store building with up to seven floors built of brick, clay, wood, and straw. The total area of the castle is about twenty thousand square meters, according to information available, about 5,000 people used to live there. Inside the castle, there are so many small houses located in narrow alleys. These houses did not have a separate yard, and the roof on the first floor was the yard of the second floor.
Other attractions in the area include the Great Izad-Khast Valley, 50 kilometers long, and the Izad-Khast River that originates from the Pearl Mountain. There are numerous caves and caverns along the Izad-Khast Valley, which are attributed to the time of the Aryans entering the area and the Medes’ settlement. Izad-Khast arch dam is the world’s first arch dam located Glougah area and is considered to belong to the Sassanid era. The Safavid inn, the Safavid Bridge, the watch tower, the gardens of Izad-Khast are also among other tourist attractions of this amazing historical area.
