Masuleh Village& Rudkhan Castle Tour

Masuleh Village

In the first stage of this tour, which is conducted by Shivar Travel Agency, we will move to Masuleh.

Cost

The total cost of this tour, including lunch, is $85 per person.

***If you plan to travel in a group and with a large number, depending on the number of people, a special discount will be considered in your cost, for more information, you can call the listed numbers or send a message on WhatsApp, we will respond to you as soon as possible.***

Masuleh (Persian: ماسوله, also Romanized as Māsūleh, Masoleh and Masouleh is a village in the Sardar-e Jangal District, in Fuman County, Gilan Province, Iran.

At the 2006 census, its population was 554 individuals from 180 families. Masuleh’s architecture is unique. The buildings have been built into the mountain and are interconnected.

Courtyards and roofs both serve as pedestrian areas similar to streets. However, the small streets and many stairs simply wouldn’t make it possible for vehicles to enter. Masouleh does not allow any motor vehicles to enter, due to its unique layout. It is the only city in Iran with such a prohibition.

The spectacular architecture of Masuleh is popularly known as “The yard of the building above is the roof of the building below”.

 

Yellow clay coats the exterior of most buildings in Masuleh. This allows for better visibility in the fog.

Masuleh also has its own beauties in winter and tourists can enjoy its beauties in this season as well.

History Of Masuleh

Archaeological survey of the mountain ranges overlooking Masouleh shows that this mountainous region was probably occupied by ancient herders and nomads at least since the late Bronze Age.

 

Remains of late prehistoric, historic, and Islamic times were discovered on the mountain top above 2500 meters above sea level.

 

These mountains were used seasonally, at least since the late Neolithic (5000 BC) Bronze Age (2000-1500 BC).

continued during the Iron Age I (1500-1100 BC), Iron Age III (800-500 BC), Parthian (247 BC to 224 CE), Buyid (943–1029 CE), Seljuk (1043–1051 CE) and Ilkhanid (1306–1335 CE) periods(tehrantimes).

The oldest evidence of human presence in the Masuleh region was discovered on a mountaintop above 2400 m above sea level. not far from Shah Moalem, one of the highest peaks in the Talysh Mountains of Gilan.

 

The site shows that the late Neolithic herders used the pastures of these mountaintops to graze their herds. The site is the oldest and highest seasonal settlement of prehistoric herders that have been identified so far in the south of the Caspian Sea.

Archaeologists discovered pottery sherds, animal bones, and stone tools that date back to about 7ooo years ago.

And after visiting Masuleh, we would visit Rudkhan Castle.

Rudkhan Castle

Rudkhan Castle consists of two parts: Arg and Qorkhaneh. Arg is located in the western part of this building on two floors and its material is brick.

The Qorkhaneh on the east side are dominated by two floors with multiple skylights and openings. There is also a spring between the castle and its deepest place.

The eastern part of the castle includes twelve entrances, a prison, an emergency door, a bath and a catchment.

The western part has twelve entrances, the spring, the pond, the reservoir, the cold storage, the bath, the royal water basin and several residential units surrounded by towers and fortifications.

Forty watchtowers surround the castle, where octagonal rooms are covered with domed arches. Sloping openings can be seen around the walls and towers, which are built for pouring molten material and firing projectiles.

Since the castle’s construction, it has never been invaded by an enemy and they have not been able to conquer it.