Kazem Dashi

🧭What kind of place is it?

Kazem Dashi is a tall mass of rock on the shore of the lake, its shape likened to a military cap. Another similar rock stands nearby. Whether it is an island or a peninsula depends on the level of the lake, so the way to reach it is not always the same.

🏛️What was it built for?

Its height, difficult approaches and the cliffs around it made it a good place to take refuge and defend. As well as a house, Kazem Khan set up a smithy, a foundry and a boatyard here.

👀What you will see

• Remains of buildings and carvings on the rock are signs of how this outcrop was used in the past.
• Of the two-storey house built for Kazem Khan and his family, only traces remain.
• At the highest point of the rock, a well was cut into the stone to collect rain and snow water.
• A similar rock stands a short distance from Kazem Dashi, and photos of the two are sometimes mixed up.

💡Something interesting

A local story says that even before Kazem Khan, a group fleeing the region's ruler took refuge here. The old name Qirkhlar is linked to that story; this part of the rock's past is local tradition.

🎒Good to know before you go

• Keep away from the cliff edges and wear suitable shoes for the rocky path; ask the villagers about the way up before you set off.