Ghal'eh Dokhtar

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Ghal'eh Dokhtar" or the Maiden's Castle, is a castle made by Ardeshir I, in present day Fars, Iran, in 209 AD. It is located on a mountain slope near the Firouzabad-Shiraz road. Despite damages sustained by the castle, its majesty still produces awe in visitors.

This structure was built by Ardashir I. The name implies it was dedicated to the Goddess Anahita, to whom the term "Maiden" refers. After capturing Isfahan and Kerman from the Parthians, he (re)built the city of Gur nearby the castle in Firouzabad, making it his capital. After defeating Ardavan V (Artabanus V ), the Parthian king, in a great battle in 224 AD, he built the Palace of Ardashir nearby the Ghal'eh Dokhtar structure. Ardashir's grandfather was a prominent priest of the Goddess Anahita at the nearby temple of Darabgird, "City of Darius."

The 1800-year-old castle has lost some four meters of its original height over the last century and experts warn if urgent measures are not taken to enforce it, the castle may soon collapse.

See also

• Iranian architecture
• Sassanids

 

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