The most extraordinary military architect of Iran

The castle of Roudkhan or Hesami fortress is the name of historic castle located in the 20 kilometers southwest of Fooman city in Gilan province. Some experts have dated castles’ construction during Sasanian period and coincidence with the Arab conquests in Iran. This castle with 2. 6 hectares of space located on the heights of village of Roudkhan. The wall of Castle length is 1500 meters and within it has been located 65 battlements. Direct distance of the castle city up to Maklavan village is 25 km and up to Masoule 45 km and up to Sheft is 25, but from the mainstream and Asphalt the distance of castle is 25 km and up to Maklavan approximately and 60 up to Masoule. In the North West Castle, there is a river by the village of Roudkhan that even by little water its water doubles in a way that the nearly too much water of this river in the past has been barrier to the movement of soldiers who have aimed to attack . The old dense forests have also been another obstacle for the forest men, so, to this reason, this castle during its continuous development were less under the attack of the offenders. The castle was rebuilt in the Seljuk period and it was accounted as Ishmaelite campaign bases. On the inscription to the entrance of the castle, which is now kept at the Treasure Museum of Rasht City has been inscribed that this castle in 918-921 has been rebuilt for Sultan Hessam Aldin Amir Dbaj Ala Aldin. Amir Hessam Aldin Foumani was the commander of Bie was the first regional power which denied obeying The Safavids and restored the castle of Roudkhan so as to provide resistance since then but did not achieve success and escaped to Darban and was eventually captured and executed in Tabriz.
This castle has been located at an altitude between 665 to 715 meters above sea level and near it a river with the same name is flowing now. The castle of Roudkhan composed of two parts: citadel (living place of ruler and his Harem) and armory (the place for military actions and soldiers’ life). Citadel is located in the western part of the building on two floors, made of brick. Qaravol houses, in eastern part on two floors with skylights and several holes is dominant around therefore, there is a spring and its deepest area.

Western section

this part includes entry gate, fountain, pond, water storage and cold storage, bathroom, Aquarium, penthouse and the number of housing units that are surrounded by towers. The castle in general has two citadels and sixteen guard houses. Citadel or the lord-castle has been made of two floors and brick, Guard houses two floors with multiple skylights and windows dominate the surroundings. The entrance door of the Castle is northern and on the both sides of it, two solid huge tower have been built that in the past which in the past on top of it a stone-inscribed was installed, which is now kept at the Museum of Rasht.

Eastern district

The area of Eastern part is less than the western part which includes separate entrance gate with two big towers, prison, residential units and emergency (alarm in). In the northern and southern walls of the castle and at irregular intervals there are towers above them are octagonal rooms, built of brick and in the walls have been embedded holes and shrapnel for monitoring and pouring lava and shooting. Out of interesting aspects concerning architecture of Roudkhan castle is the use of pointed arches and its various shapes and also brickwork designs and Chinese stone which demonstrate the accuracy of its creators.
The watch tower has surrounded around the castle that its octagonal rooms have been covered with arches. All around the walls and towers slopping openings are being seen which have been fixed for pouring lava and shooting. It should be noted that throughout the history of the castle, all enemies failed to penetrate it. Because this historic castle has been built next to the river, the ancient equivalent of "fortress of Rougan" or "Rogan" (fortress near the river) has been changed and it is read under the name of Roudkhan therefore, this castle are called castle of Rekhoon by local settlers who are Talesh. Then over time “castle of Roudkhan" has been changed into Roudkhan castle. This castle in historical periods is called under the names of" castle of thousand stairs ", "Hesami", "Saksar", "Sagsar" and "Sgsal”.
The castle of Roudkhan in terms of geological divisions is known as the patrol collection and, according to the analysis of Eshtoklin; it consists of two variation phases. The first one related to Precambrian-Paleozoic with high variation and the other relates to time of Mesozoic with absolute bottom intensity. According to geological reports, the probability of iron reservoirs in the region is high so, evidences of ancient mining activities have been reported in this area such as the melt residues in this region. Despite the fact that the castle of Roudkhan has been for long the throne and central rule of Gilani's rulers, until before the century of tenth AD no of this castle was mention. Only "Abdel Fattah Foumani” In the book of Gilan’s history once speaks of mountain and writes…
Amira ShahRukh and Kamiab were sons of Amira Salar and Bani Imam Hussein Khan who were killed by the orders of Hassan Khan kohdami in Roodkhan.

Vegetation:

The forest of the castle consists of a part of heights and a limited natural resources of Gilan and protected area of natural resource conservation and Maklavan forests has been that contains elements of trees and shrubs such as wild pear, cradles, diospyros lotus, hornbeam, raspberry, wild plum, medlar elderberry, plum and wild cherry and beech, ash, Azra, cradles Oja, persimmons and wild berries, flowers violets, mint and drink that are used as drugs and have vegetation for grazing cattle. In addition, Limited forest types also include alder, hornbeam and beech Yew.

Animal life:

Jackal, fox, wild boar, brown bear

We can consider Brown bears as the largest mammal of Gilan. The animal's body length up to 2 meters and its weigh reaches up to 400 kilograms. This animal which lives in all forest parts of the world provides its own food from green parts of plants, fruits, insects and small vertebrates. With regard to the damage and nuisance that brown bear causes through breaking tree branches and destroying forests, the villagers and forest dwellers have an unlimited hatred of the brown bear. Because this animal, by breaking branches of trees and the destruction of their farms imposes much damage on their properties. Bears usually do not attack humans unless they are injured or someone suddenly appears in front of them. The species of jackal is from the family of Canidae family which is smaller than Hyaena and wolf and larger than the fox. This night active animal that often moves in groups, feeds on small mammals such as rabbits, snakes, lizards, , domestic and wild birds. And botanic foods like melons, watermelons and grapes also are enjoyable for the animal. Jackal is abundantly seen in the coastal plains of Gilan province, this animal also imposes significant damages to the local inhabitants, too.