Meimoon Ghal'eh, Military castle ruins in Qazvin, Iran.
Meimoon Ghal'eh is a castle ruin in Qazvin featuring eight brick towers arranged around the main fortification. The interior layout includes underground passages that form a network beneath the surface, with the primary entrances on the northern side.
The fortress was built in the 8th century during the Abbasid period as a defensive structure. It later became an intellectual center when scholars chose it as a place of refuge during turbulent political times.
The castle served as a refuge for Persian scholars during the medieval period, offering a space away from political turmoil for intellectual work. Visitors can sense this scholarly purpose in the layout of the rooms and study areas that remain.
The site sits on elevated terrain and is most easily approached from the northern side where the main gates are located. Sturdy footwear is recommended as the ruins have uneven ground and some areas remain unstable.
The name translates to 'Monkey Castle' in Persian, derived from old stories about the site's inhabitants. The central section once had a large dome that has since collapsed, leaving only traces of this architectural feature visible today.
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