Noushijan Castle an intact ancient citadel

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7 Minutes

Suitable For

Duration Of Visit
0.5 To 2 Hour

Best Seasons To Visit

Nahavand-Hamedan Road, Malayer City, Hamedan Province, Iran.

Visitors Are Allowed

Also known as

Arg Noushijan Hamedan
Nooshijan Citadel Hamedan
Noushijan Citadel
Noushijan Hill Malayer

Geographical location of Noushijan Castle

Noushijan castle is located 60 km south of Hamedan City and 20 km west of Malayer City, on Nahavand-Hamedan Road, in a hill with the same name. It is 37 meters in height. Because of its long historical background, it has become one of the most prominent tourist attractions in Hamedan Province and many people visit it during the year.

History and culture of Noushijan Castle

Not many people knew Noushijan Castle until 1963 that a British team searched and excavated the castle for 14 years. During the excavation, many works belonging to the Medes, Achaemenid, and Parthians were found. Excavations also show that this building has three layers. The fortress and temple which are left from the early Median period form the initial and lower layer. The middle layer contains works of the Achaemenid people and the upper or third layer contains works from the Parthian period. A fortress fence and two fire temples indicate the political, religious, and military functions of this castle in the Median period. in later periods, the existing construction had been used as a platform and subsequent buildings were created on it. As a result, the building related to the Medes remained even up to a height of 8 meters and does not need any special reconstruction.

Architecture of Noushijan Castle

The shape of the temple is semi-cruciform and it is built with the same architectural elements as a citadel. In the northern part, there is a firebase which is made of 3 parts. This type of fire temple, in terms of architectural plan, can be seen in most fire temples of the Sassanid era. The second fire temple is located in the center of the complex and is octagonal in shape. The rest of the complex is built around the central temple. The western fire temple, the central fire temple, the rooms, the barns, the hall, the fortress fence, and the tunnel are built in standard dimensions of 22 x 40 cm with a thickness of 12 cm of raw clay. In the northern part of the castle’s hall, you can see a hole in the shape of a crypt that leads to a cliff at the depth of 3 meters.

The ancient construction indicates the very first patterns of Persian architecture and that is why it has become one of the most special and unique monuments in the whole country. It was an important place of worship for Medes, assumingly worshiping the God of Sun. One of the prominent and special features of Noushijan Citadel is that the place has remained untouched and there is no need for reconstruction, so everyone can see the intact version of the monument,

Tips and ideas

The head Department of Malayer's Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts has announced the beautification plans for the area around Noushijan Citadel for the first time. The creation of a pavilion for accommodation and a place for travelers to camp. The kite-flying festival will be held on Farvardin 12 (April), as well as local competitions during the Nowruz holidays in the area of this historical monument by the city's cultural heritage department in order to attract as many tourists as possible.

If you get to Malayer City before or after visiting this castle, be sure to visit Seifieh Garden, which is one of the oldest parks in the country. Also, Malayer Bazaar and Lotfalian House, the most beautiful historical house in Malayer, totally worth your time. Use the map below to find nearby facilities and monuments.

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Natioal Heritage Date: 1968/01/23

National Heritage Number: 763

Address Of Noushijan Castle: Nahavand-Hamedan Road, Malayer City, Hamedan Province, Iran.