Nehbandan Castle

🕰️When was it built?

Its exact date is not known, but finds from the castle range from the Parthian era to the Islamic periods. The building was destroyed and rebuilt many times, and not all of its parts are of one date. The castle was added to the National Heritage List on 6 July 1997.

🏛️What was it built for?

The complex was a defensive stronghold and a place where people lived. The ramparts and towers protected the site, and the higher northern part was where the citadel or the ruler's quarters stood. A courtyard, a well and inner rooms show that life behind the wall was about more than standing guard.

👀What you will see

• The remains of towers and ramparts around an almost circular or oval area of about 141 by 146 metres.
• The main entrance is on the south-west side; two round towers on either side of it guarded the way in.
• The northern part of the castle is higher than the rest and marks where the citadel or ruler's quarters stood.
• Parts of the mud-brick and rammed-earth walls and inner structures survive; view the site from the permitted path.

💡Something interesting

In the 2026 excavation, a brick floor was found with remains of ash and a hearth. The space was probably a kitchen, a detail of everyday life behind the defensive walls.

🎒Good to know before you go

• Keep away from the edges of the trenches and the half-fallen walls, and don't enter the excavation area.