Iraj Castle a forgotten historical site in southern Tehran

The Public Relations Office of the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism (RICHT), quoted the archeologist Seyed Mehdi Mousavi-Nia as saying the 200 hectare interior of the castle is under cultivation and agricultural lands in Varamin are irrigated with urban sewage three times a year while there are many pools in Iraj Castle to supply water to agricultural lands.

He underlined the necessity of attracting tourists to the historical site.

Mousavi-Nia considered Iraj castle a distinct precinct of the Sassanid period and called for the presence of at least one guard to prevent further destruction of this historic site.

In the meantime, the archaeologist proposed turning Iraj Castle into a museum site and noted that in case the agricultural lands inside the castle are purchased steps could be taken in line with the world registration of the site.

He pointed to the structures in Rome and Byzantine which resembled Iraj Castle and said the only difference is that Iraj Castle of the Sassanid era is wider and larger than those structures.

Iraj Castle is a site with an overall rampart in some parts of which despite the passage of 1500 years, still a rampart with a height of over 20 meters can be seen, he added.
The archaeologist listed the works discovered in the exploration as pieces of pottery, fireplace and marks remaining from the Sassanid seals as well as a fetus burial in the Sassanid era beside which there was a bail (a tool for displacing coal).

He referred to registration of Iraj Castle in the list of national monuments in 1382 (2003-2004) and the discovery of writings on the pottery in literary Pahlavi, the inscription which was common on the coins and later on pottery in the last Sassanid period.

9376**1394

Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish