Mon, 02 Apr 2007 05:07:01 Alamut
Fort was once a mountain fortress in the arid hills by the Alborz
Mountains, south of the Caspian Sea. It is in the vicinity of Gazor
Khan, a village about 100 km from Qazvin.
According to Hamdollah Mostowfi (1281-1349), a well-famed Iranian
historian, geographer and epic poet, the fortress was built in 840 at
an elevation of 2,100 m. It was built in a way that had only one
passable artificial entrance that wound its way around the cliff face.
However, there was one natural approach which was a steep gravel slope,
being too dangerous to use. All these and even more, made the
conquering of the fortress a Herculean task.
The fort has an unusual system of water supply. The top of the
castle 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
Ismaili sect of Shia Islam, and was then fabled for its gardens and
libraries.
The sect was preached by Hassan Sabbah (1097-1124) during
Seljuk Dynasty, also known as Seljuk Turks, in the region.
Gazor Khan, the neighboring village, is a time-honored hamlet to the
south of Alamut Fort. Its locals have interesting customs. In their
wedding ceremonies they have a traditional dance in which the bride and
the groom family members slap one another on the face.
Summer is a convenient time to visit this region. In two days’ time
one can visit Alamut as well as Gazor Khan and the magnificent Evan
Lake, not far away.
Evan Lake is encircled by four villages called Evan, Varbon,
Zevardasht and Zarabad. The lake measuring over 70,000 sq. m. is
elevated to an altitude 1,800 meters above sea level. Raised to such
lofty an abode, it cannot be fed by any creek or river except for its
bed streams slowly pumping water into the lake from beneath. Evan’s
deepest spot, its south-east angle, is 7.5 m deep.
It is believed, by some, that the lake is a remnant patch of the
Caspian Sea before it receded to its present location millions of years
ago.
Some believing “Evan” to be a spurious pronunciation, insist that
the one original pronunciation is “Ovan”. Nevertheless, most Iranians
prefer the former pronunciation.
The lake has loaned its environment a green heaven and trees like
willow, poplar, apple, cherry, oleaster and walnut thrive in this
terrain. Different families of land and water herbs most of which are
of medical values also exist in this luscious habitat.
Last but not least, a handful of animal species is another feather
in Evan’s cap. Brown bear, wild cat, lynx, hyena, leopard and a number
of other quadrupeds exist here along with different kinds of wild birds
and fishes.
A visit to Alamut Mountains can truly be a trip of a lifetime.
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Ismailimail 