Izadkhast () is a city in the Central District of Abadeh County, Fars province,

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

, and serves as the administrative center for Izadkhast Rural District. It is the first city in Fars on the Isfahan-Shiraz Highway.

History

In 1779 Zaki Khan of the

Zand dynasty The Zand dynasty () was an Iranian dynasty, founded by Karim Khan Zand (1751–1779) that initially ruled southern and central Iran in the 18th century. It later expanded to include much of the rest of contemporary Iran (except for the provi ...

committed such atrocities here that his own men decided to murder him.

Demographics

Population

At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 7,366 in 1,803 households. The following census in 2011 counted 6,532 people in 1,920 households. The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 5,910 people in 1,834 households.

Izadkhast Complex

Historical monuments

The Complex of Izadkhast is roughly 135 km south of

Isfahan Isfahan or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District (Isfahan County), Central District of Isfahan County, Isfahan province, Iran. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of Tehran. The city ...

. The complex consists of Izad-Khast Castle, a

caravanserai A caravanserai (or caravansary; ) was an inn that provided lodging for travelers, merchants, and Caravan (travellers), caravans. They were present throughout much of the Islamic world. Depending on the region and period, they were called by a ...

, and a

Safavid The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly called Safavid Iran, Safavid Persia or the Safavid Empire, was one of the largest and longest-lasting Iranian empires. It was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often considered the begi ...

-period bridge. The castle structure is of particular interest due to the different architectural styles incorporated into the construction of the building, including

Sassanid The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranian peoples, Iranians"), was an List of monarchs of Iran, Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, th ...

and

Qajar The Guarded Domains of Iran, alternatively the Sublime State of Iran and commonly called Qajar Iran, Qajar Persia or the Qajar Empire, was the Iranian state under the rule of the Qajar dynasty, which was of Turkic origin,Cyrus Ghani. ''Iran an ...

periods. The architecture of the castle is unique to Izadkhast, and only comparisons in building materials can be made to other sites in the region.

World Heritage status

This site was added to the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

World Heritage World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

Tentative List on 9 August 2007, in the Cultural category. Izadkhvast Castle 07

Gallery

Izadkhvast Castle 04.jpg, Drawbridge of the castle Izadkhvast ruins 01.jpg, Ruins of the old town Safavid-period bridge, Izadkhvast 01.jpg, Safavid-period bridge

Notes

References

Populated places in Abadeh County Cities in Fars province Sasanian cities {{Abadeh-geo-stub