Babak Fort


Pāpak Fort or Babak Castle is a large citadel on the top of a mountain in the Arasbaran forests, 6 km southwest of Kalibar City in northwestern Iran. It was the stronghold of Babak Khorramdin, the leader of the Khurramites in Iranian Azerbaijan who fought the Islamic caliphate of Abbassids.

Access

The castle, built on 2300–2600 meter heights, surrounded by 400 to 600 meter gorges, is accessed via a long series of broken steps that lead to the top of a hill. Thereafter, the easiest route is a long dirt track. No signs lead to the Castle. At the end of the dirt track, the route turns left. The first sign of the ruins appears on the left, leaving two peaks to cross. The first peak has views of the Castle. After ascending a second peak, with additional ruins, the trail passes sheer cliffs on the right with no railings. From the castle, the surrounding Arasbaran oak forest, jagged cliffs, mountains in the distance, and Iranian history combine inform the visitor's perspective. The last stretch is a narrow passageway and a 200-meter corridor-shaped temple.

History

The castle is believed to belong to the Parthian dynasty, as modified under the Sasanid dynasty.

Gallery