TEHRAN-- According to the director of Kermanshah’s Parthian-Sassanid Axis World Heritage Site, given that many secrets still remain about Yazdgerd III Castle, continuing archaeological excavations, restoration, and preservation of the ancient monument are on the agenda.

In an interview with ISNA, Saeed Moradi named Yazdgerd III Castle as one of the most important ancient castles not only in Iran but also in the world. “This ancient castle is located in a high border area in Ban Zardeh village in Rijab district, Dalahoo county, and in ancient times it was made impenetrable in such a way that it was very difficult to reach.

He added that  Yazdgerd III Castle is not only a castle, but also a very large and enormous complex with an area of ??about 40 kilometers that includes various parts, including the main part of the castle, which is located at the top of the mountain and is difficult  for tourists and people to get there.

Moradi continued that the three sides of the castle are surrounded by natural fortifications It is only possible to enter it from the eastern front, which shows that it was a safe place for kings or local rulers, he added.

He continued that the kitchen, Naghareh Khaneh tower, the prison and fire temple of Davar Castle are other parts of the complex, so it can be said that the ancient castle complex of Yazdgerd was a huge city inside a citadel.

Stating that archaeologists believe that the complex belongs to the Parthian-Sassanid period and was also used in the Islamic era, Moradi said: “Local  people believe that this castle was the last refuge of Yazdgerd III, the last Sassanid king, and his daughter.”

He added that the first archaeological excavations in the ancient castle were carried out in the mid-1970s by British archaeologist Edward J. Keall, and then in the mid-2010s, Yousef Moradi, one of Iranian archaeologists, carried out archaeological activities on this hill.

Stating that the ancient site still holds many secrets, he said that continuing archaeological excavations, restoration and preservation of this complex are on the agenda. “It has also been decided that this ancient site will be designated after many years. The registration file for determining the site's boundaries is being compiled and is scheduled to be registered in Tehran.”

Moradi continued by stating that the complex has suffered damage over the past years due to the natural and human factors, and said: “The 2017 earthquake damaged parts of it. On the other hand, over the past years, part of the village of Zardeh has been built on the boundaries of this complex. Of course, in the 7.3-magnitude earthquake of 2017, part of the residential units of the old village of Zadeh, which were built on the boundaries, were destroyed and the villagers were forced to build their houses elsewhere, but there are still a number of residential units located on the boundaries of this complex, and if the Housing Foundation cooperates, these residential units will also be moved.”

He clarified that in the case of the Parthian-Sassanid axis of Kermanshah, which extends from the Anahita Temple to Taq Kasra, also called Ivan Madaen, in Iraq, Yazdgerd Castle is also considered as one of the landmark monuments of this route, which is world-famous.

Moradi concluded by saying that since tourists do not have access to the main part of the castle on the top of the mountain, it has been decided to organize the fire temple of Davar Castle for Nowruz so that it can host Nowruz guests.

KD