Rudkhan Castle | The Hidden Castle in Gilan jungles
Located 47 km of Rasht, Rudkhan Castle is a brick and stone medieval building in Fooman City. This castle belongs to the Sassanid era, which was built for the central fortress of the army of this dynasty on the northern slope of the Alborz mountain range. Through the years this castle stood tall and survived the greatest wars and natural disasters. Now it is one of Gilan’s most famous tourist attraction sites and hosts over a million people each year.
Rudkhan Castle History
Some researchers believe that the castle belonged to the Sassanid period, the time of the Arab invasion of Iran, and was rebuilt during the Seljuk period, which was the basis for Islamic fighting.
Before 1830, Ghale Roodkhan was an unknown castle. But in that year, Aleksander Borejko Chodźko, a Polish Iranian Studies Researcher, mentioned in his book about a strong fortress in the northern highlands of Iran. He mentioned Rudkhan Castle in his book as follows:
“It is a fort on the top of a mountain in the upper part of the river of the same name. Its roof is made of stone and the sides of the entrance have two strong defensive towers. Some experts have considered the construction of the fort during the Sassanid era and at the same time as the Arab invasion of Iran. It is engraved on the entrance inscription that this castle was rebuilt for the first time in 918-921 AH for Sultan Hesamuddin Amira Dabbaj Ibn Amir Alaeddin Ishaq (briefly known as Amira Dabbaj Foumani), reputedly known as Muzaffar Al-Sultan.”
The name of this castle is taken from a river called Rakhoon, which flows along with it. It is also known as Hesami Castle because it dates back to the reign of Sultan Hesam al-Din.
The Thousand Steps Castle
In recent years, about 1,500 steps have been built in the castle grounds for easier access for tourists and visitors. But the main building of Rudkhan Castle has 935 steps that have been excavated by archaeologists along the walls and towers of this fort. For this reason, Rudkhan Castle is also called The Thousand Steps Castle.
When is the best time to visit?
Due to its humid and hot weather, the best time to visit Rudkhan Castle is in Spring and Fall. But you can also pay a visit during summer and winter. But remember that in the cold seasons of the year, due to the area where Rudkhan Castle is located and heavy snow and rain, it is more difficult to go to this castle than other seasons of the year, and not everyone can handle it.
