This post specifically is about Alamut Castle, the main castle of the Assassins in Gazorkhan Village of Iran.
- We will have a look at Alamut Castle from a geographical point.
The geographical and physical features of Alamut Castle
Alamut Castle is located on top of a large rock. The highest point of this castle, for now, can reach to 2163 meters above sea level.
Back to before the year 1263 when the Mongolians ruined this castle to the soil, the highest point could be most probably higher than 2163 meters. The minarets of the mosque of the castle could have the highest point in Alamut Castle.
For now that I am writing this post, the entrance fee for the castle is 1/000/000 rials, but the tourism organization is planning to raise the prices.
After you pay the entrance fee, you can start the hike from the obvious trail which is constructed as stairs.
At the entrance, if you look to the northeast in the sky, you can see an Iranian flag at the top of a steep cliff. That is the castle that you will reach within 20 to 30 minutes.
So the start of the hike is from the southwest of the castle.
The vertical measure, you will hike about 300 meters to reach the top of the castle.
Up to the middle of the trail, there are some donkeys or mules to carry the elderly people (in exchange for money).
The first view to Alamut Castle
After about 10 minutes of hike (ascending about 100 steps), you will have the first view to the castle.
According to the historians in the Mongolians troop, this bed rock for the castle looks like a lying camel, with its head turned backwards toward the valley (to the south).
Some 100 meters further, you will have two options to continue the hike. One is in from of you. The stairs. They are located beneath the high 200-meter-rock. The other way is a mule road on the left. I personally prefer the mule road. It will give you better views and a more enjoyable hike.
In about 10 minutes, you will reach the first stop or shelter. The crazy view of the mountain of the castle from the northern point is accessible from here. On the right, you have the access road to Alamut Castle. In the background, you have a combination of Shah Alborz peak and some slashy grand rocks with a unique structure. On the left, you have a view of Hood Kan peak (3000 MASL).
Now you will descend for about 3 minutes, then start to ascend for about 7 minutes to reach the first guards’ room for Alamut Castle.
You will see some parts are original from Seljuk or the Assassins era in this guard room.
Here I have prepared the details for hiking to Alamut Castle
On the way to Alamut Castle
The trail continues to the right, then to the left and finally the main gate of the castle is in front of you. The gate is made out of wood, and it is not the old and original gate from the Assassins time. It is made quite recently (Approx. 15 years ago). Passing the gate you will reach the first alley of the castle. At the time, this alley was covered. When passing, you will see some big holes on the left and the excavations are still going.
Continuing the trail, you will reach the current guard room of the castle. In this room there are two guards from the government, keeping an eye on the castle 24/7.
Views from Alamut Castle
Some 10 meters further, you reach a 4-steps staircase. Ascending the steps to the left, you see a passage with a diameter of approx. 3 meters. At the time of the Assassins, this hole was made with basic tools to have the full view from the southern side of Alamut castle towards Alamut valley. It was also a small horse place to keep less than 10 horses.
At this point, you have the best view over Gazor Khan village. And if you follow the road back to where you came from, you will see a green steel bridge. Beneath that bridge, you have already seen one of the most beautiful canyons in Alamut Valley named: Garma Galoo. You will have the chance to stop by and have more photos from that canyon and from Alamut Castle on your way back to Qazvin.
Out of this passage, looking to the left, you will see some reconstructions with their old scaffolds. The reconstruction of Alamut castle stopped over 10 years ago when the was no budget from the central organization to continue the excavations.
When you exit this passage, the only way is to the left and to the right to ascend a 20-steps staircase on a scaffold. But don’t worry! They are safe.
At the stair tread, you can see a documented miniature. This miniature shows the main and final rival of the Assassins. The same war with the Mongolians in the 13th century.
In the painting you can see two groups of soldiers, fighting mainly by archery. The right side is having the Mongolians and the left side keeps the Ismailians. The Assassins or Ismailians are waiting on a great gate frame that has two pillars. Each pillar has 8 dimensions ( as octagonal). As you will see, at the time the soldiers could stand on it and fight against their enemies while guarding the main floor of Alamut Castle.
Today one of those pillar is reconstructed on the top of the original one. On your way up on the staircase, in the middle, have a look to your right, you can see it.
When you finish the staircase, immediately have a look at your left side. You will see a lot of excavations on some structures and architecture.
The structure you are looking at is the mosque of the castle. The mosque was a building of 100 square-meter, with no columns and pillars inside and a large dome on top.
Ismailism was a sect inside Shiia Islam.
As a Muslim community, they had large attention to the mosque. The mosque in Alamut Castle was the home of the leader of the castle. At the same time a congregation place where people and soldiers could gather and meet the leader or Da’ee (The Inviter).
Legends about Alamut Castle
In the photos of the video game “Assassins Creed”, you may have seen the photos of a mosque at the top of a high mountain. Most probably they got the idea from this mosque.
You pass the hallway for about 10 meters, and then on your left you can see a stable for horses.
Safavid dynasty (16th – 18th Century), turned the ruins of Alamut Castle into a political prison. This stable is constructed on top of the ruins of the mosque of the castle (north-west of the mosque).
After visiting the mosque, pass the hallway and alleys. Over your head you see the metal ceiling covering the ruins of some parts of Alamut Castle.
Follow the two steps on your left to reach the eastern cisterns of the castle. You will have a close view of the three reservoirs of the castle.
During the attacks on Alamut castle and also during the siege times by the central government i.e. the Seljuk and the occupier Mongolians, these cisterns were the key for the castle to survive.
Continue your visit to the western edge of the castle. On the way you will pass a café. This café is made up of two small rooms. The rooms were the grain storage for the castle.
When you reach the Iranian flag, you are at the elevation of 2163 meters above sea level.
Behind the fences, you can see some remaining of the rooms where the soldiers slept. At the most western edge, you can see two more cisterns. This part of the castle is not possible to visit on foot and from close.
The physical visit to the castle ends up at this point.
To know about the history of the Alamut Castle, you can read my other post here.
As the first and leading official local guide for Alamut Valley, I offer day-trips to Alamut to visit the Canyons and Alamut Castle. I am Hosein Farhady a certified guide, specialized in the history of the Ismailis.