Babak Castle

Babak Castle, also known as Babak Fort or Jomhur Castle, stands on top of a mountain 2,300 metres high, about three kilometres from the town of Kaleybar. The fortress was built in the Sasanian era and takes its name from Babak Khorramdin, one of Iran's most famous commanders, who is said to have lived in it for 20 years. Babak Castle has about 1,000 stone steps. At a normal pace, climbing the steps takes about 2 hours to reach the main gate of the castle. The castle has three floors, and each floor has several sections. After passing through the main hall, you will see 7 rooms around it. These rooms open onto the central hall of the castle. In the eastern part of the fortress you can also see other rooms and water reservoirs. The roofs of all these reservoirs are built in a cradle-vault and pointed-arch style. The reservoirs are made with a type of impermeable sarooj mortar. In autumn and winter they fill with snow and rain, so they are a good source of water in summer. One of the important features of this castle is the valleys, 400 to 600 metres deep, that surround it and embrace the castle on all sides.

Because of its altitude and climate, the area around Babak Khorramdin Castle has varied vegetation, including trees such as oak, beech and walnut, and medicinal plants such as thyme and turmeric. The wildlife of the area is also diverse and includes various species of mammals, birds and reptiles. Some mammals, such as wild boar, fox, hare and gazelle, live in this area. In the higher areas, signs of animals such as the wild goat may also be seen.

In general, the best seasons to visit Babak Khorramdin Castle are spring and autumn. In these two seasons the nature around the castle is at its most beautiful, and the weather is also better suited to hiking and visiting the castle. In spring, the surroundings of the castle look very beautiful with blossoming trees and green plants. The spring weather is usually mild and suitable for walking and hiking.