Jalal al-Din Castle, Garmeh

🕰️When was it built?

From its architecture and the archaeological finds, the castle is dated to the 6th and 7th centuries AH (12th–13th centuries). The exact year it was built and its founder are not known. The building's name has been linked to various figures, but its attribution to Jalal al-Din Khwarazmshah has not been proven.

🏛️What was it built for?

The castle was well placed to watch over and defend the roads around. Its towers, loopholes and thick walls are tied to this role, and the jars were used to store what the people inside needed. After restoration, a museum of historical figures named Jalal al-Din opened in the building in 2011.

👀What you will see

• Six round towers stand at the corners of the castle; from the foot of the hill, see how the towers and stone walls join.
• The south entrance is built between two towers, and a stepped path up the slope leads to it.
• The remains of the vaults and brickwork of the entrance differ from the stone body of the building; notice this change of material.
• The central courtyard leads to the rooms, stairs and tower entrances; ask the staff to point out the rebuilt parts.
• The well in the western corner of the courtyard is about three metres across and largely filled in; don't go near the edge to see it.

💡Something interesting

In studies of the castle, 128 storage jars have been identified. Deposits inside some of them suggest they held water; these vessels help you picture everyday life inside the fortress beside its military role.