View source for Rudkhan Castle

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{{Infobox military installation
| name = Rudkhan Castle
| ensign = 
| ensign_size =
| native_name = قلعه رودخان
| partof = <!-- for elements within a larger site -->
| location = 
| nearest_town = Fuman
| country = Iran
| image = RudkhanCastle.JPG
| alt = 
| caption = Rudkhan Castle
| image2 = <!--secondary image, major command emblems for airfields -->
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = 
| type = Fortress
| coordinates = {{Coord|37|03|52|N|49|14|24|E|display=title, inline}}
| gridref = 
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| image_mapsize = 
| image_map_alt = 
| image_map_caption = 
| pushpin_map = Iran
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| pushpin_label = 
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| ownership = <!-- government department such as the MoD or the United States DoD -->
| operator = <!-- where different from ownership such as the RAF or the USAF -->
| controlledby = <!-- such as RAF Bomber Command or the Eighth Air Force -->
| open_to_public = <!-- for out of use sites/sites with museums etc -->
| site_other_label = <!-- for renaming "Other facilities" in infobox -->
| site_other = <!-- for other sorts of facilities – radar types etc -->  
| site_area = <!-- area of site m2, km2 square mile etc -->
| code = <!--facility/installation code, applies to US -->
| built = [[Sasanian Empire|Sasanian era]]
| used = <!--{{End date|1946}} -->
| builder = 
| materials = Brick and stone
| height = <!-- height of tallest part, not above sea level -->
| length = 1,550 metres
| fate = <!--changed from demolished parameter-->
| condition = 
| battles = 
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| current_commander = <!-- current commander -->
| past_commanders = <!-- past notable commander(s) -->
| garrison = <!-- such as the 25th Bombardment Group -->
| occupants = <!-- squadrons only -->
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| footnotes = <!-- catchall in case it's needed to preserve something in infobox that doesn't work in new code -->
}}
{{short description|Medieval fortress in Iran}}

'''Rudkhan Castle''' ({{langx|fa|قلعه رودخان}}; {{langx|glk|رودخان دژ}}), also '''Roodkhan Castle''', is a brick and stone medieval fortress in [[Iran]] that was built to defend against the Arab invaders during the [[Muslim conquest of Persia]]. With the fall of the [[Sasanian Empire]], this area became a defensive position against the Arabs in the then-newly established [[Tabarestan]].

Located 25 km southwest of [[Fuman city]] north of Iran in [[Gilan province]], it is a [[military]] complex which was constructed during the Sasanian era (224-651), and later rebuilt in 1096 by the [[Nizari Ismaili state|Nizari Isma'ilis]] for use by the [[Order of Assassins|Assassins]]. The castle is built on two tips of a mount, with an area of {{convert|2.6|ha}}. 

The Rudkhan Castle River originates in the surrounding heights and flows from south to north. Rudkhan Castle sits at the two peaks of a mountain at elevations of 715 and 670 metres and contains strong fortifications and battlements at a length of 1,550 metres. 

==Description== 
Rudkhan Castle consists of two parts: Arg and Qorkhaneh. Arg is located in the western part of this building on two floors and its material is brick. The Qorkhaneh on the east side are dominated by two floors with multiple skylights and openings. There is also a spring between the castle and its deepest place.

The eastern part of the castle includes twelve entrances, a prison, an emergency door, a bath and a catchment. The western part has twelve entrances, the spring, the pond, the reservoir, the cold storage, the bath, the royal water basin and several residential units surrounded by towers and fortifications.

==Geological features== 
[[File:Gilan - Ghale Roudkhan castle - panoramio (2).jpg|thumb]]

Rudkhan Castle is geologically built in an area that is known as Gasht complex in the geological division and according to Stocklin's studies, it consists of two phases of transformation. The first is related to the Precambrian - Paleozoic with high metamorphic intensity and the second to the Mesozoic time with low absolute metamorphic intensity. According to geological surveys, the presence of iron reserves in this area has a high probability.

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Gilam - Fuman - Roudkhan Castle - panoramio.jpg
File:Fuman - Ghaleroudkhan (Roudkhan castle) - panoramio (3).jpg
File:Gilan - Ghale Roudkhan castle - panoramio (2).jpg
File:Fuman - Ghaleroudkhan (Roudkhan castle) - panoramio (2).jpg
File:Gilan - Fuman - Qaleh Rudkhan castle - panoramio.jpg
File:Fuman - Ghaleroudkhan (Roudkhan castle) - panoramio (1).jpg
File:Fuman - Ghaleroudkhan (Roudkhan castle) - panoramio.jpg
File:Gilan - Qaleh Roudkhan - panoramio.jpg
File:Gilan - Ghale Roudkhan castle - panoramio.jpg
File:Gilan - Ghale Roudkhan castle - panoramio (1).jpg
File:Parke-Ghale-RoodKhaan.JPG|Rudkhan Castle Park
File:Rudkhan5.jpg|main road To Rudkhan Castle
File:Ghale Rud Khan.JPG|Full view of Rudkhan Castle
File:Rudkhan Castle by Mardetanha in guilan (10).jpg|View of Rudkhan Castle
File:Rudkhan Castle (190).jpg
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Architecture of Iran]]
*[[List of castles in Iran]]

==External links==
{{commons}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060415203123/http://www.worldisround.com/articles/73022/photo461.html Worldisround.com]
*[http://physics.ipm.ac.ir/conferences/iss2003/photos/excursion2/roodkhan_castle_excursion.htm;jsessionid=DOAJKAAEJMPD Ipm.ac.ir]
*[http://wiseitinerary.blogspot.com/2013/06/roodkhan-castle.html WiseItinerary]

{{Gilan Province}}

{{Castles in Iran}}{{Sasanian castles}}{{Ismaili castles}}

[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in the 11th century]]
[[Category:Castles in Iran]]
[[Category:Architecture in Iran]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Gilan province]]
[[Category:Castles of the Nizari Ismaili state]]
[[Category:Sasanian castles]]
[[Category:National works of Iran]]
[[Category:History of Talysh]]


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