Jalal al-Din Castle

Mongol invasion of Persia is one of the most devastating events of the Middle Ages in Iran. Destructions and killings that are a black page in the history of this country.

But in the heart of this blackness, there are bright spots that show the resistance of brave people in the defense of the homeland. One of these spots is Jalal al-Din Castle in North Khorasan province. The castle was built by Sultan Jalal al-Din Khwarazmshah.

Let's take a look at the symbol of Iranian resistance against the Mongol invasion.

The history of the Castle of resistance:

After Sultan Ala ad-Din Muhammad II Khwarazmshah (Jalal al-Din's father) chose to flee instead of fighting because of the fear of the Mongol troops, his estranged son stayed and started resistance.For this purpose, on top of a high hill between the cities of Jajarm and Garmeh, which was on the way of the Mongols, he built a defensive and strong castle in order to reduce the intensity of Genghis Khan's attack. Despite the defeat of Jalal al-Din from the Mongol army, the castle remained in its place and was never conquered by the Mongols. After that period, the castle maintained its military use until it was gradually abandoned and in the last century became an attractive tourist attraction, which is known today by the name of its builder.

Of course, some believe that this castle was built by the Seljuk kings, which, considering the place of construction, the method of strengthening the building, the type of architecture and the name of the castle, this theory is rejected.

What do you know about the features of Jalal al-Din Castle?

The castle was built on top of a high hill and the sources say that it had 3 floors in the beginning, but unfortunately only one remains today. It is designed on 6 sides with 6 guard towers with a height of 12 meters, and there is only one way from the bottom of the hill to the castle.The castle was built completely based on defensive conditions and to endure a long siege, and there is a large warehouse for storing water and food inside the castle. Also, the materials used in its construction are mortar and baked clay.

History has shown that an attack on Iran will be met with the stubborn resistance of its people. Jalal al-Din Castle is a sign of one of these resistances.