List of Ismaili castles

List of the castles of the Nizari Ismaili state in Persia (Iran) and Syria.

The state had around 200 fortresses overall, mostly were spur castles. Most of the Persian Ismaili castles were in Alborz mountains, in the regions of Alamut and Rudbar in Daylaman (today located in north of Qazvin), and in the region of Quhistan (south of Khurasan). Most of the Syrian Ismaili castles were in Jabal Bahra' (Syrian Coastal Mountain Range).

Location of several of the Ismaili castles in the regions of Alamut and Rudbar.

Key for the tables

Name	Name of the building.
Alternative names	Native name in Persian (for Persian castles) and Arabic (for Syrian castles), and alternative names in English.
Location	Region in which the castle was located.
Condition	An indication as to what remains of the original castle structure.
Image	Building or site as it currently exists.
Coordinates	Coordinates of the castle.
Notes	Brief description and additional information.

Ismaili castles in Persia (Iran)

Name	Alternative names	Location	Condition	Image	Coordinates	Notes
Alamut Castle	الموت	Alamut region	Ruined, partially restored		36°26′40.63″N 50°35′9.58″E	The main castle of the Nizari Ismaili state.
Lambsar Castle	لمبسر, لمسر, Lamasar, Lambasar, Lanbasar	Rudbar region	Ruined			Captured, refortified, and governed by Kiya Buzurg-Ummid. Probably the largest Ismaili castle.
Rudkhan Castle	قلعه رودخان	Daylam	Mainly intact		37.064357°N 49.239276°E / 37.064357; 49.239276
Maymun Diz	میمون دژ, Maymundez, Meymundezh	Alamut region
Samiran Castle	قلعه سمیران	Rudbar region
Nevizar Shah Castle	قلعه نویسر شاه, Nevisar Shah	Alamut region
Gerdkuh	گردکوه, دژ گنبدان, Girdkuh	near Damghan			36°09′43″N 54°09′25″E	The last Ismaili castle that was surrendered to Mongols.
Saru Castles	قلعه سارو, Soru	near Semnan				Two nearby related castles, Greater Saru and Lesser Saru, is recently attributed to Ismailis.
Mo'menabad Castle	فلعه مؤمن‌آباد	Quhistan region, modern-day Darmian County
Qa'in Castle	قلعه قائن	Quhistan region, modern-day Qaen
Furg Castle	قلعه فورگ, Furk Castle	Quhistan region, modern-day Darmian County	Mainly intact
Khalanjan Castle	قلعه خالنجان, خولنجان, شاهدژ, Khulanjan, Shah-Dezh	Nehbandan County
Arrajan Castle	ارجان	Behbahan, Khuzestan

Ismaili castles in Syria

Name	Alternative names	Location	Condition	Image	Coordinates	Notes
Masyaf Castle	قلعة مصياف	Hama	Partially restored		35°03′58″N 36°20′36″E	The most famous Syrian Ismaili castle.
Abu Qubays	قلعة أبو قبيس	Hama	Partially ruined		35°14′5.92″N 36°19′50.83″E	Purchased from Iftikhar al-Dawla, the Fatimid governor of Jerusalem.
Qalaat al-Madiq	قلعة المضيق, Qal'at al-Mudiq	Hama	Residential area		35°25′12″N 36°23′33″E	Purchased.
Aleika Castle	قلعة العليقة, Uleyqa	Tartus (in Jabal Bahra')
Al-Qadmus Castle	قلعة القدموس, Al-Qadmous; Kadmus	Tartus (in Jabal Bahra')	Ruined		35°06′05″N 36°09′40″E	Purchased from Muslim forces.
Al-Kahf Castle	قلعة الكهف	Tartus (in Jabal Bahra')	Partially ruined		35°02′27″N 36°04′58″E	Probably the main residence of Rashid al-Din Sinan. He died in the castle in 1192. Ismailis had purchased the castle from Muslims in 1138.
Khawabi Castle	قلعة الخوابي	Tartus (in Jabal Bahra')	Residential area		34°58′22″N 36°00′06″E	Conquered.
Rusafa Castle	قلعة الرصافة	Hama (in Jabal Bahra')
Qulay'ah Castle	قلعة القليعة	Tartus (in Jabal Bahra')
Sarmin Castle	قلعة سرمين	Idlib (in Jabal Bahra')
Maniqa Castle	قلعة المنيقة	Latakia (in Jabal Bahra')

See also

• List of castles in Iran
• List of castles in Syria
• List of Crusader castles
• Baltit Fort, used by Ismailis of the Hunza princely state in Pakistan

References

• "Nizari Ismaili Castles of Iran and Syria". Institute of Ismaili Studies. http://www.iis.ac.uk/view_article.asp?ContentID=105073. Retrieved 11 February 2014. 
• Willey, Peter (2005). "Eagle's Nest: Ismaili Castles in Iran and Syria". I.B.Tauris. ISBN 9781850434641. 

External links

• "Nizari Ismaili Concept of Castles", The Institute of Ismaili Studies