Sardar Castle, Bukan

🕰️When was it built?

The exact date of the castle is not known, but the first building goes back to the reign of Naser al-Din Shah. It was altered in the Pahlavi era and restored in 1943. Excavations on the mound have shown that people lived here in the Bronze and Iron Ages, long before the Qajar castle.

🏛️What was it built for?

This was the seat of government and command of Bukan's rulers, and later it was also home to the Sardar's family. Its use has changed several times: it has served as a school, a post office and a police headquarters. So the look and size of the building have not stayed the same over time.

👀What you will see

• The castle building sits on top of the mound and is about 30 metres long; it is not the same thing as the ancient site beneath it.
• The castle mound lies among Bukan's houses; the ancient layers beneath the building come from settlements older than the Qajar era.

💡Something interesting

In a 2018 excavation, archaeologists found grains of wheat and weed seeds in a pottery bowl, with a stone mortar and pestle beside it. Small finds like these help us understand what the mound's early inhabitants ate and how they lived.

🎒Good to know before you go

• Before you go, find out whether you can visit the inside of the building; you reach the site through the residential lanes around it.