Alamut Castle, Mountain fortress in Qazvin Province, Iran

Alamut Castle is a ruined fortress on a rock slab 2,163 m above sea level, its top rising about 200 m above the surrounding ground, in the Alamut region of Qazvin province, northeast of Gazor Khan village. The site covers some 20,000 m² and is split into an upper western castle (Jowrqala/Pilaqala) and a lower eastern section, about 120 m long and 10 to 35 m wide. Walls of stone and gypsum mortar step down the ridge; the eastern wall of the upper castle, roughly 10 m long and 4 to 5 m high, is the least damaged, and three corner towers still stand. Rooms, a guard chamber, water cisterns and about ten rock-cut mangers are carved into the stone.

The Justanid ruler Wahsūdān ibn Marzubān founded the fortress around 840, choosing the rock after seeing an eagle perch there. In 1090 Hassan-i Sabbah took it and made it the headquarters of the Nizari Ismaili state until 1256, when Rukn al-Din Khurshah surrendered it to the Mongols, who dismantled it and destroyed its library. Nizari forces recaptured it in 1275, and in 1282 it passed to Hulegu Khan's eldest son.

Local tradition explains that the name comes from Aleh Amut, referring to an eagle's nest, as rulers from Deylaman followed an eagle to this site. The complex once housed scholars who studied astronomy and philosophy in what was known as a center of learning before its destruction.

Reaching the ruins requires climbing roughly 400 stone steps carved into the rock, so wear solid shoes and bring water in warm weather. The site is accessible during daylight hours, and several viewpoints along the path offer views over the surrounding valleys and peaks.

The water cisterns within the complex were designed to collect rainwater and supply residents for months during sieges. This engineering solution allowed the fortress to withstand long blockades without relying on external sources for water.