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, 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

, 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 07

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