Takht-e Soleyman Things to Do

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a small part of southern Fortification reconstructed as it's orginal.
It makes good view of the shape of site in its glorious era.

The walls thickness is 3.8m & 6.3 - 8.3m height, & 38 semicircular towers.

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Aredvi Sura Anahita (Arədvī Sūrā Anāhitā in Avestan, Ardwisur Anahid or Nahid in Middle and Modern Persian, Anahit in Armenian) is the name of the angel of 'the Waters (Aban) and hence associated with fertility, healing and wisdom.

Anahita means immaculate.

beside all fire temple should been spring or river as symbol of Anahita.
major fire temple had a one for Anahita same is this structure that located at northern side Lake.

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Azar Goshnasp was obviously chosen for its natural peculiarity; an outcrop of limestone, about 60 m above the valley, built up by the sediments of the overflowing calcinating water of a thermal spring-lake (21° C) with about 80m diameter and more than 60m depth on the top of the hill.

The Level & temperature is always constant, but manipulating of outlets by German Between 1959 and 1978 decreased water level.

During ages treasures presented to Azar Goshnasp.
First Recorded one is after the Lydian conquest, a part of Croesus treasury dedicated & then thrown in the lake as vow by Cyrus the Great in 547 Bc.
& Magis thrown treasures in the lake every time that Azar Goshnasp threaten.
once during Parthian, Mark Anthony campaign in 36 Bc.
Heraclius, Byzantine Emperor invasion ruined Azar Goshnasp & Magis thrown treasury in the lake in 627 AD.
& the Last time Arab invasion in 645 AD.

Water pressure & slight eyesight caused divers couldn't reach to depth.
Excavation just led to some divers drowned.

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Zendan-e Soleyman (Prison of Salomon) located about 3 km west of Takht-e Soleyman.

Zendan-e Soleyman (Prison of Salomon) is a name that given to the site after Islam just same as Takht-e Soleyman then Zendan-e Soleyman was the place that Solomon used to imprison demons.

Zendan-e Soleyman height is about 100m above the valley, with about 65m diameter and more than 80m depth.

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Zendan-e Soleyman once was as like as the lake in Takht-e Soleyman.
There were spring at ground & it was full of water then ran dry in portohistoric times (probably 700-500 BC).
Discovered clay pipes from ancient times, prove it .

Existing evidences reveal it was holy Mannaeans temple (10th to 7th cent. Bc)
Reminds of buildings are visible at north side.

This place used as guardian fortress during Sassanid era (224–651)

Today, It is not holy Mannaeans temple nor legendary prison of Solomon nor Sassanid guardian fortress anymore, Just a pleasant nest for hundreds Swallows.

Bijar is a city located in Kurdistan Province of Iran. Its estimated population as of 2006 is 46,153. With an elevation of 1883.4 meters, Bijar is called the Roof of Iran.

The majority of the inhabitants of Bijar are Shia Kurds. Bijar is known internationally for its elegant and ancient carpet and rug designs. The term bijar could be a variation of bajar (i.e city in Kurmanji Kurdish) and the complete name of the city is Bijar-e Garrus (city of Garrus). Among other suggested etymology for bijar are bid-zar (land of willow tree) which is linguistically unlikely.

I came here after my visit to Takht-e Soleyman and the taxi drive made a circuit drive around. It was good.

An very obvious conical peak which dominates the valley landscape is a prison on top of a conical peak. It is about 1.5 km west of Nostrabad. Once it too had a fortified, magical crater lake, like Takht-e Soleyman, till one side of the cone collapsed.

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Takht-e Soleyman is an archaeological site in West Azarbaijan, Iran. It lies midway between Urumieh and Hamadan, very near the present-day town of Takab, and 400 km (250 miles) west of Tehran.

The originally fortified site, which is located on a crater rim, was recognized as a World Heritage Site in July 2003. The citadel includes the remains of a Zoroastrian sanctuary built during the Sassanid period, and partially rebuilt during the Ilkhanid period. According to legend, the temple housed one the three "Great Fires" or "Royal Fires" (see Fire Temple). Sassanid rulers are said to have journeyed there to humble themselves at the fire altar before ascending the throne.

Folk legend relates that King Solomon used to imprison monsters inside the 100 m deep crater of the nearby Zendan-e Soleyman "Prison of Solomon". Another crater inside the fortification itself is filled with spring water; Solomon is said to have created a flowing pond that still exists today. Nevertheless, Solomon belongs to Semitic legends and therefore, the lore and namesake (Solomon's Throne) should have been formed following Islamic conquest of Persia. After the Conquest, the Arabs sought to destroy anything Zoroastrian or Persian, as these things were deemed to be contrary to Islam. In order to avoid this, the Persians changed the names of many sites and monuments to save them from destruction.

Its location is dramatic, up in the mountain at over 2,600m with a large volcanic lake in the centre. The enclosing walls, built in early Saanid times to honohur this place, whic is the home to one of the four important sacred fires of Zoroastrianism.'

Admission IR4,000 (May 2008). There is no public transport. You mneed to charter a taxi from Zanjan or nearby town.