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Alamut lies on the peak known as Alah Amut. Among suggested etymologies are "Eagle's Nest" and "Eagle's Teaching" was once a mountain fortress located in the central Alborz Mountains south of the Caspian Sea close to Gazor Khan near Qazvin Province, about 100 km from present-day Tehran in Iran. Only ruins remain of this fortress today.
According to Hamdollah Mostowfi, the first fortress was built in 840 at an elevation of 2100m. It was built in a way that had only one passable artificial entrance that wound its way around the cliff face (the one natural approach, a steep gravel slope, was too dangerous to use); thus making conquering the fortress extremely difficult. The fort had an unusual system of water supply. The top was extremely narrow and long — perhaps 400 meters long, and no more than 30 meters wide in any place and usually less.
In 1090 the fortress was infiltrated and occupied by the powerful Hashshashins, a faction of Nizâri Ismâ‘ilî Shî‘a Islam known to the West as "the Assassins", and was then fabled for its gardens and libraries. The ruins of 23 other fortresses remain in the vicinity.
The landscape of Gazor Khan (Alamut Castle) is spledid and the surrounding areas are so breathtaking. It is more than the ruin to visit. You need to hike up, may be around 30 mins one way. Lots of steps to go. Someone at the hill top to collect ticket price IR2,000 (May 2008).
Updated Aug 10, 2008
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It is a long way between Qazvin and Gazor Khan, but the road is not boring at all. The landscape is very beautiful with mountains and valleys. You should ask your driver to stop where you want to take photos. My driver sometimes asked me if I wanted to stop where he knew the view was great. I’m happy I didn’t go with a taxi driver in hurry or tried to sees in a visit to another castle on the same day.
Written Apr 14, 2007
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Ovan Lake is situated in Qazvin province, about 75 km from Qazvin and near Alamut. The lake is 8 km from the Qazvin - Alamut road. The view over the lake and the surrounding mountains (Alborz Mountains) is beautiful and really worth the detour. In the area around the lake are four villages. The water in the lake comes from springs in the bottom. It covers about 90 000 sq m and is 325 metres long and 275 metres wide, and has a depth of 20 metres.
When the weather is nice Ovan Lake is a popular place for picnic on Fridays.
Written Dec 29, 2006
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Ovan Lake is situated in Qazvin province, about 75 km from Qazvin and near Alamut. The lake is 8 km from the Qazvin - Alamut road. The view over the lake and...
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Gazor Khan (Alamut Castle) and Lamiasar
Alamut lies on the peak known as Alah Amut. Among suggested etymologies are "Eagle's Nest" and "Eagle's Teaching" was once a mountain fortress located in the central Alborz Mountains south of the...
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