Babak Castle also known as the Immortal Castle is a huge building citadel on the top of a mountain. It is located 16 km southwest of Kaleybar city in northwestern Iran. It was the stronghold of the Iranian hero, Babak Khorramdin who fought the Arab invaders.

On July 10th, Iranian pilgrims attend there to honor the life of their national hero, Babak and his companions. Because they sacrificed their lives to defend Iran and Iranian way of life.

The castle, built on 2300-2600 meter heights, surrounded by gorges as deep as 400 to 600 meters. The castle believed to belong to the Parthian dynasty and modified under the Sasanid dynasty. To reach the castle, one has to trek a narrow passageway and cross a corridor-shaped temple, 200 meters in lengths.

The ascent to the castle is not for the infirm, elderly, or those afraid of heights.  The easiest way is straight in front of the steps and consists of a long dirt track.  Meanwhile,  you will need hiking boots, a sun hat, plenty of water, and at least 3 hours for climbing and 2 hours for the descent. At the end of the dirt track, turn left onto the rocky mountain side, and beware of slipping.

Once you have climbed the pinnacle of the cliff, you will truly appreciated the amazing effort in building this altitude. Under no circumstances should you even consider climbing these walls. First, this can damage the ancient structure, and second, a fall of several thousands of meters would lead to certain death.

Nevertheless, the experience afterward is well worth the strenuous climb. The surrounding Arasbaran oak forest, mountains in the distance, and the history of the place combine to create one of Iran’s most beautiful vistas.

Moreover, to visit Babak Castle in East Azerbaijan please have a look on our tours.