Alamut Castle

About this place

Alamut, «Eagle's Nest», is the ruin of a mountain fortress in the Alamut region south of the Caspian, near the village of Gazor Khan in Qazvin Province, about 56 km northeast of Qazvin and 111 km northwest of Tehran in a straight line. In 1090 the castle passed to Hassan-i Sabbah, and until 1256 it was the headquarters of the Nizari Ismaili state, whose strongholds were scattered across Persia and Syria. It was famed for its gardens and its library, where philosophers and scientists gathered. The castle later lost its importance and now lies in ruins. In July 2026 Alamut Castle and its related fortifications were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a rare testimony to the cultural tradition of the Nizari Ismailis. The ruins sit on a huge, sheer red rock rising from a mountain valley, ringed by Alborz peaks that are snow-covered in winter; white cherry blossom covers its foot in spring, and the trees turn red and orange in autumn. Visitors climb steps and a rocky path to the top of the rock, where a shelter protects the excavations, and look out over the valley. The visit pairs well with nearby Lake Ovan. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Iran and warns that British nationals risk detention, so check official guidance before making any plans. We could not confirm the current state of this site.