Takht-e Soleyman

Going to Iran in winter has obvious risks of snow ruining your plans. Taking the smaller eastern road into Soleyman, it was cleared but still a few ice patches, the road leading out West was much better. However, the actual site was covered by half a meter of beautiful white snow. Missing the plowed parking spaces at the bottom I drove right up through the gate and parked next to the staff. When they pointed it out I apologized but pointed at my watch for it was getting late and they let me stay there. I will thus start a new connection of “Zoë parked here illegally” (kidding but I also have Sharjah Airport Museum, Alisadr Cave and errr Rome [/w Parking Ticket I never got to pay, long story]). The staff mainly wanted to ensure I bought a ticket so I waded over to the booth yet he didn't have change for a 500k note. In typical fashion I got waved through (I later returned to see if he has change but he waved me away again so this now on my “Zoë has free entry” connection).

As for the site itself it was unfortunately hard to even read the snowed in panels and make out what some of the buildings were supposed to be, but I reckon it is just my misfortune with the weather. The lake was still beautiful and the surrounding scenery made it clear why the fortification was up here. Some of the men …

Wiki describes Takht-e Soleyman as being “located on a volcano crater rim” whilst the UNESCO Web site states “About 3 kms west is an ancient volcano, Zendan-e Soleyman which rises about 100m above its surroundings”. In fact the former is not on a “volcano crater rim” and the latter is not a 100m high “ancient volcano”!

Both sites have been formed by the same, rather different, geological process. Britannica says (correctly) of the main site “The base of the temple complex sits on an oval mound roughly 1,150 by 1,800 feet (350 by 550 meters) that was formed by the outflow of a deep artesian spring, the waters of which collect in a large lake at the southern half of the hill and have heavy concentrations of dissolved calcium. The resultant limestone formation, created by the residue of the periodic inundation of the spring, rises to about 200 feet (60 meters) above the surrounding countryside”

But Britannica isn’t so accurate with Zendan-e Soleyman which it describes as “a modest-sized extinct volcano”! Why it couldn’t have carried forward the same geological process it has correctly identified as having created Tahkt-e Soleyman isn’t clear. It isn’t alone however! The AB evaluation describes it as “This hollow, conical mountain, an ancient volcano”. On the other hand the Nomination file is very careful to describe the Zendan as simply being “volcano-shaped”. Whilst the notice board at the foot of …

Takht-e Soleyman is one of these names on the WH List that mean nothing unless you’ve been there. It ranked among the very lowest in our recent Community and Popular Votes for the WHS Top 200, probably because almost nobody had visited it (13 were there before Solivagant and I visited in April/May 2016). It ended up being my favourite WHS of Northern Iran, both for its colourful mountain scenery and introduction to Zoroastrianism. We spent 3 hours there, but I could easily have stayed an hour more.

Takht-e-Soleyman (meaning: “the throne of Solomon”, an apocryphal name given during the Arab conquest) was the spiritual center of Zoroastrianism. It was created in the 6th century by the Persian Empire of the Sassanids, who were in fierce competition with the Byzantine Empire and Christianity and wanted to build a showcase for their own citizens.

Despite reading various sources beforehand and listening to the explanations of our tour guides, I find summarizing the faith of the Zoroastrians difficult. They worshipped one god, but in their temples, the focus is on the four elements of water, earth, air and fire. The combined presence of a volcano (fire) and a natural spring (water) made Takht-e Soleyman an especially auspicious location for Zoroastrians.

After a nutritious lunch in the canteen of a nearby mine where we met two bewildered French tourists travelling with their own campervan, we started our visit to the volcano. This is nicknamed ‘Solomon’s Prison’ (Zendan-e Soleyman): folk tales …

Hi and thank you so much for giving us a chance for writing about Takht-suleyman. I am orignally from Takab Afshar, located 40 kilometers Northwest of the site. i grew up in Takab and i live there for 19 years. on fridays, the first thing we thought of with freinds was to go there and enjoy the beautiful scenery and weather. you know you have a kind of strength there,whenever i was there, i could breathe my predecessors. the air the took in their lungs. i feel free there. it's been 5 years i have left my home town and i was living Tabriz and now in Tehran. when i just think of this place and how much i miss it. my heart fills with the nostalgia to go there again to be and forget whatever the modern civilization have given us along with sadnesses. i miss there so much that my heart is bursting and my eyes are full of tears for i have lived this place of my ancestors. Again I thank you to give me some space to share what I feel being not there. I strongle recommend anyone who would read this material to get a chance and visit this historical fire temple of the most lovely religion of Zolostrians. You would feel what meant good speech, good deeds and good thoughts. and back to civilization you would miss it so much.