Izadkhast ( fa, ايزدخواست, also
Romanize
Romanization or romanisation, in linguistics, is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, and ...
d as Īzadkhvāst and Īzad Khvast; also known as Īzad Khast, Yazd-e Khāst, Yazd-e Khvāst, and Yezd-i-Khast; also known as Samīrum) is a city in the
Central District of
Abadeh County
Abadeh County ( fa, شهرستان آباده) is located in Fars province, Iran. The capital of the county is Abadeh
Abadeh ( fa, آباده, also Romanized as Ābādeh) is a city and capital of Abadeh County, in Fars Province, Iran. Abade ...
,
Fars Province,
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. At the 2006 census, its population was 7,366, in 1,803 families.
It is the first city in
Fars Province on the
Isfahan-Shiraz Highway.
The
Complex of Izadkhast
The Complex of Izadkhast is located in Izadkhast in the Fars Province of Iran, roughly 135km south of Isfahan. It is a historical complex listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. The complex consists of the Izad-khast Castle and old ru ...
is located in the
Fars Province of
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
, roughly 135 km south of
Isfahan
Isfahan ( fa, اصفهان, Esfahân ), from its Achaemenid empire, ancient designation ''Aspadana'' and, later, ''Spahan'' in Sassanian Empire, middle Persian, rendered in English as ''Ispahan'', is a major city in the Greater Isfahan Regio ...
. The complex consists of
Izad-Khast Castle
The Izad Khast Castle is located in Izadkhast in the Fars Province, central Iran. The castle was built during the Sassanid Empire (224 to 651 AD) and functioned as fortified walled city on the ancient Silk Road that ran through central Iran. It ...
, a
caravanserai
A caravanserai (or caravansary; ) was a roadside inn where travelers ( caravaners) could rest and recover from the day's journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce, information and people across the network of trade routes covering ...
, and a
Safavid
Safavid Iran or Safavid Persia (), also referred to as the Safavid Empire, '. was one of the greatest Iranian empires after the 7th-century Muslim conquest of Persia, which was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often conside ...
-period bridge. The castle structure is of particular interest due to the different architectural styles incorporated into the construction of the building, including
Sassanid
The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th centuries AD. Named ...
and
Qajar
Qajar Iran (), also referred to as Qajar Persia, the Qajar Empire, '. Sublime State of Persia, officially the Sublime State of Iran ( fa, دولت علیّه ایران ') and also known then as the Guarded Domains of Iran ( fa, ممالک م ...
periods. The architecture of the castle is unique to Izadkhast, and only comparisons in building materials can be made to other sites in the region.
History
In 1779
Zaki Khan
Zaki Khan Zand (died June 6, 1779) was an Iranian military commander and contender for the throne. A member of the Zand Dynasty of Iran, Zaki Khan, though he never became the ruler of Iran, managed to exert power over the country during the three m ...
of the
Zand Dynasty
The Zand dynasty ( fa, سلسله زندیه, ') was an Iranian dynasty, founded by Karim Khan Zand (1751–1779) that initially ruled southern and central Iran in the 18th century. It later quickly came to expand to include much of the rest of ...
committed such atrocities here that his own men decided to murder him.
World Heritage Status
This site was added to the
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
World Heritage
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
Tentative List on August 9, 2007 in the Cultural category.
The Complex of Izadkhast - UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Accessed 2009-02-26
Izadkhvast Castle 04.jpg, Drawbridge of the castle
Izadkhvast ruins 01.jpg, Ruins of the old town
Safavid-period bridge, Izadkhvast 01.jpg, Safavid-period bridge
References
Populated places in Abadeh County
Cities in Fars Province
Sasanian cities
{{Abadeh-geo-stub