INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Home to some of the most stunning landscapes in the country, Masouleh is one of the many stepped villages that are quite common to find
around the country, especially in Kordestan and around Mashhad
They have been built on a hill so steep that the roof of one house is the pathway for the next.Whereas practically, all stepped villages in
Iran have been able to keep their rural and traditional essence, for some reason, Masouleh has evolved into a popular touristic destination
that especially attracts domestic vacationers.Thanks to a pretty developed tourist infrastructure, Masouleh is receiving the attention of
all the guidebooks, portraying it as a dreamy mountain village so, slowly, it is becoming the prime destination for those travelers who have
a little more than two weeks in Iran.The village is pretty, composed of some yellowish houses which disappear behind the mist during the
Being the most visited stepped village in Iran, Masouleh has all types of opinions.On the one hand, the well-traveled backpackers will tell
valleys, misty forests, and 3,000m peaks, Masouleh is the ultimate trekking destination in Iran, offering several trails that include both
day treks and multi-day treks.Made of brick and stone, Rudkhan fort is located 25 km southwest of Foman in Gilan Province
The stronghold has been built on two sides of a jagged rocky region so its architecture benefits from natural mountainous
rebuilt in the Seljuk era (ca
However, what is known is the castle was continually in use until the Zand Dynasty in the 18th century.To access the fortress, one has to go
through a hilly winding route in a dense forest
Upon the arrival a big entrance gate flanked by relatively tall towers welcomes visitors.Stepping inside, there are residential quarters, a
It consists of two towers, another entrance, a prison, and an emergency exit
Above the north and south walls are a number of octagonal areas and the deliberate cracks in their walls are assumed to have been for
monitoring the adjacent area and shooting arrows at approaching enemies.Above the front entrance was once an inscribed plaque (which is
currently on display in a museum in Rasht) stating that the fort had been renovated for the first time between the years 1539 and 1542 for
Historians say that during that time the monument was known as the Hesami Fort.Though being threatened and even partly eroded by excessive
humidity and vegetation rooting in the chinks of its old but lofty walls, Rudkhan fort is still standing tall in very good condition as
