Rudkhan Castle is one of the most important historical and military fortresses in Iran, which is located in the city of Fuman in the province of Gilan and among the dense forest trees. This strong and impregnable castle is now one of the most important and spectacular places in Fuman that attracts many tourists.
This spectacular castle is located 20 km southwest of Fuman near the village of Rudkhan, above the forested heights of the Heydaralat region and in the middle of a dense forest. The height of Rudkhan Castle is between 655 and 715 meters above sea level.
Rudkhan Castle, despite its grandeur, was unknown until 1830, when Aleksander Borejko Chodzko; The Polish scholar once mentions it in his writings. He writes about Rudkhan Castle:
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. It is engraved on the entrance porch that this castle was rebuilt for the first time in 918 to 921 AH for Sultan Hessam al-Din Amir Dabaj bin Amir Alaeddin Ishaq.
Regarding the antiquity of Rudkhan Castle, it should be said that many opinions have been expressed and it is still not clear with certainty what period it belongs to. Some believe that the original building dates back to the Sassanid era or the early Islamic period. During the Seljuk period, this place was renovated and even was one of the Ismaili bases. Rudkhan Castle, which was the ruling center of many rulers of Gilan and Rasht, which has been used until the Zandieh period. Hedayat Khan, the ruler of Fuman, also repaired this fort in 1175 AH during his uprising against Karim Khan.
When you reach Rudkhan Castle, the first thing that will be interesting and questionable for you is the castle steps; Because you have to climb about 1600 steps. But these stairs are new and made for tourists. The main old steps number 935 steps; That is why this place is known as the castle of a thousand steps.
Rudkhan Castle has an area of 2.6 hectares. The height of the tower and its ramparts reaches 1500 meters. The materials used in the construction of this castle are brick and stone. This castle generally consists of two parts, the citadel and the Qorkhaneh. The citadel was the site of the royal fort of Rudkhan, and the shrine and the Qorkhaneh were the site of military activities and the residence of soldiers. The citadel in the western part is made of bricks and has two floors, and the watchtowers in the eastern part are also made of two floors with numerous skylights and openings around the castle.
The entrance door of Rudkhan Castle is on the north side and there are two huge towers on both sides of it and the inscription that is now kept in the Rasht Museum was on top of it. There are watchtowers around the castle, which are solid at the bottom and hollow at the top, and their octagonal rooms at the top are covered with domed arches. Inside the walls and towers there are sloping openings intended for pouring molten material and firing. Some of these towers have two floors, some of which have wooden roofs. Inside, there are stoves and chimneys that help warming soldiers in the cold of winter.
The most important building in the western part of this castle is the royal castle, which was built in the highest part of the castle and is different from other parts in terms of structure. It has two parts, lower, upper and terrace, which is a good place to watch the castle. In addition, the water spring, which was previously the main source of water supply for the castle, was seen in its courtyard in the past, which dried up after the Gilan earthquake in 1369, and was later revived by the province’s cultural heritage organization.
At the northeastern end of the castle there is a very beautiful building and on the south side of it there is a mountain where a cave can be seen and according to the locals, it used to be a place for guards to signal in case of an attack on the castle. Although many parts of this beautiful castle, which was registered as a national and historical monument in 1975, have been destroyed, but it is still a beautiful and spectacular place for tourists.
It is necessary to note that in the cold seasons of the year, due to the area where Rudkhan Castle is located and heavy snow and rain, it is difficult to go to this castle that not everyone can afford it. So, it is better to make the spring and summer seasons when you visit this magical castle.
