⭐️Behestan Castle, also known as Kohan Dezh, is located in Mahneshan County in Zanjan province, near the village of Behestan and alongside the Qezel Ozan River. Unfortunately, this unique castle is on the brink of destruction due to neglect by national and provincial cultural heritage authorities. The original structure of this fortress is attributed to the Sassanid era, but it was also used during the Islamic period (5th to 7th centuries AH). The remains of Behestan Castle are registered in the list of national monuments. Some attribute the history of this fortress to the Median and Achaemenid periods. The castle is divided into three main sections: rooms, corridors, and stairways. The zigzag stairways on the western and eastern sides have undergone significant erosion, making them dangerous to traverse, while the stairways on the northwestern side remain intact, leading to a room with an arched ceiling. The walls of this castle resemble conjoined chimneys. There are 64 rooms, several corridors, and stairs carved manually into the mountains. The castle's proximity to the Chimney of the Jinn has also earned it the nickname "Castle of the Jinn." These chimneys are also known as Div's Throne due to the belief that demons slept on the flat stones atop the columns. Similar formations can be found in places like Bryce Canyon in the United States, Vardij village near Vardavard in Tehran, the Darkepe Dag mountains, France, the Alps, Serbia, and Taiwan. Despite its appeal to geotourists and geologists, this area is exposed to severe erosion and destruction, with no adequate protective measures in place. Behestan Castle also features a unique water supply system, including a stone and sarooj (a type of erosion-resistant stone) pool at the top of the castle, with clay pipes channeling water to the lower parts of the structure. ---------------------------------------- 🪨Near the city of Mahneshan in Zanjan province, there is a mysterious and strange attraction, a structure that bears the traces of demons and jinn, leading locals to believe it was built by supernatural beings. For this reason, it is called the "Chimney of the Jinn." In geological terms, this natural phenomenon is referred to as a "hoodoo." A hoodoo is essentially a mushroom-shaped rock that, due to erosion, has taken on the appearance of a tall, thin spire with another rock perched atop it. In Zanjan, these hoodoos are known as "Chimneys of the Jinn." To see the Chimney of the Jinn, you need to travel 20 kilometers from Mahneshan and 120 kilometers from Zanjan. There, you will find tall columns made of clay, formed through long-term erosion, with a flat stone on top that gives them a chimney-like appearance. You might wonder why locals call these formations "Chimneys of the Jinn." In the past, any structure that was difficult for humans to construct was attributed to jinn and demons. Hoodoos are always a point of interest for geologists, but unfortunately, the hoodoos in Zanjan are not protected and are at risk of destruction. ---------------------------------------------- 🕍The Soltaniyeh Dome is the mausoleum of Öljeitü (Sultan Muhammad Khodabandeh), the eighth Mongol ruler. The dome was constructed between 1302 and 1312 AD (703 to 713 AH) by the order of Sultan Muhammad Khodabandeh and under the supervision of Rashid al-Din Fazl-Allah Hamadani in the city of Soltaniyeh (the capital of the Ilkhanate). It is considered one of the significant works of Iranian and Islamic architecture. In 2005, the Soltaniyeh Dome was registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This structure is the largest brick dome in the world, second only to the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral.This structure features 8 porticos and 8 minarets, which are said to be inspired by the 8 gates of paradise (Abwab al-Birr or Gates of Righteousness). The building encompasses two periods of decoration. The first period includes brick and tile adornments, where Quranic verses, and the names of Allah, Muhammad, Ali, and the sultan are inscribed with bricks and tiles. However, after a while, for an unknown reason, Sultan Muhammad Khodabandeh ordered the tile decorations to be covered with plaster. The Soltaniyeh Dome consists of three main sections: the entrance, the Turbat Khaneh (sanctuary), and the crypt. --------------------------------------------------- Please share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments section, and let us know what you would like to see in our future videos!🙏🏻♥️ 🔔 Subscribe to my channel for more videos. Thank you for watching! 🌸 ------------------------------------------------------- Hey guys, I'm Arezoo, excited to have you here! Let's become friends and utilize this journey to explore our diverse world. Who knows, perhaps one day we'll meet face to face. Here's to that wonderful day! 🌍 📧 Email:walkwitharezoo@gmail.com 📱 Instagram: @azshut #iran #zanjan #Behestan Castle#Soltaniyeh Dome#Chimney of the Jinn#قلعه بهستان#دودکش جن#گنبد سلطانیه#زنجان

• published: 26 Jul 2024
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