TEHRAN – A comprehensive restoration project has been commenced on Qaleh Kohneh, a Sassanid-era (224 CE–651) fortress, and its premises situated in Meshkinshahr county of Ardebil province in northwest Iran.

“Qaleh Kohneh is one of the most important historical structures of the province and its restoration, which started recently, has been one of our top priorities,” CHTN quoted the provincial tourism chief as saying on Friday.

The fortress bears a sole inscription inscribed in the Sassanid Pahlavi script, which shows the importance of this fort and its strategic location.

The Sassanid era is of very high importance in the history of Iran. Under Sassanids, Persian art and architecture experienced a general renaissance. Architecture often took grandiose proportions such as palaces at Ctesiphon, Firuzabad, and Sarvestan that are amongst highlights of the ensemble.

In 2018, UNESCO added an ensemble of Sassanian historical cities in southern Iran, titled “Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region”, to its World Heritage list.

AFM