Sam Castle

Sam Castle, a valuable relic from the late Parthian period and the beginning of Sasanian rule, stands in Ilam Province, in Shirvan and Chardavol County, near the village of Cham Bur. This ancient fortress was built on the summit of Mount Sam and was registered on Iran's National Heritage list in 1381 (2002) under number 7998.

Sam Castle consists of three independent but connected sections built on top of rugged, hard-to-reach heights. The fortress was designed without any prior surveying, and its interior spaces, such as the towers, rooms and entrances, were created by making clever use of the natural shape of the rocks. Its architecture is entirely military and defensive, and it was built using materials such as stone, gypsum plaster, sarooj (a traditional waterproof mortar), mortar and, in some places, mud. In the northern and northwestern parts of the castle there are towers about 12 metres high, and on the southwestern side the remains of a chahartaqi or fire temple can be seen, which was probably converted into a mosque during the period of Arab rule. Alongside the complex, a 500-year-old plane tree, a clear spring and the root of an agarwood tree, which was used in ancient Iranian rituals and especially in Zoroastrian ceremonies, add to the cultural and historical appeal of the site.

To reach Sam Castle, visitors can travel from the provincial capital, Ilam, towards Chardavol County. This route is especially pleasant in spring, when the weather in the region is mild. Visiting the castle is free, and one to two hours is usually enough for a visit. To preserve the authenticity of this historical heritage, it is very important to practise responsible nature tourism, such as not uprooting plants, not tampering with the structure and not leaving litter, especially near the spring and the area's vegetation.