The Mysterious Takht-e Soleyman
45 km east of Takab, Takht-e Soleyman is located in a very green valley with many beautiful sights and unique historical areas. The beautiful and high city of Takht-e Soleiman has other names such as Ganjak city and Azargoshnasp fire temple. A complex of historical monuments has been built in Takht-e Soleyman around a sedimentary spring. Takht-e Soleyman is considered by many to be the birthplace of Zoroaster, and the construction of the Azargoshasb fire temple in this area as the most important temple respected by Iran’s Zoroastrians during the Sassanid era can be a confirmation of this belief.
In the historical castle of Takht-e Soleyman, there is the Azargoshasb Fire Temple, which is one of the most important fire temples of the Sassanid period.
It also was the place of coronation of the kings of this dynasty. As the birthplace of Zoroaster reaches three thousand years, its eternal fire has been considered a symbol of the authority of Zoroastrianism and Sassanid rule for seven centuries.
Today, only the remains of the fire temple of Azargashsab remains, which is called the Throne of Solomon. Khosrow Anoshirvan and Khosrow Parviz were Sassanid kings who paid special attention to this fire temple and tried to develop it.
This fire temple dates back to more than 3,000 years ago. Religious ceremonies and ritual prayers were held in this fire temple. This fire temple was also the place of celebrations and coronation of the kingdom. Azargashnesb fire temple has been one of the most important fire temples of ancient times and the richest place of worship of its time.
After the decline of the Sassanid rule and the acceptance of Islam by the Iranians until the 4th century AH, a small number of believers of the ancient Iranian religion lived in this place and the fire temple was used on a smaller scale than during the reign of Abaqa Khan Mughal with extensive repairs. With impressive and construction of new buildings, this place was used for some time as a summer capital, a summer resort.
Takht-e-Soleiman Lake
When we enter the Takht-e Soleiman area, we see the beautiful view of Takht-e Soleiman lake in front of us. This complex is located next to a beautiful natural lake where the water of this lake boils at a depth of 120 meters and rises. However, this water is not suitable for drinking and agriculture.
Legends about the existence of treasure in the water of the lake were whispered among the people, that in the period of Cyrus the Achaemenid to the Sassanids, whenever the enemy attacked, they threw precious objects in the lake so that the enemy could not reach them.
Archaeologists have found the remains of human life here as well. Historians say that the Holy Grail of Jesus Christ was kept in this city, the same place where Jesus Christ drank on the last night of his life. It is not without reason that this collection has been registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List and the list of the national monuments.
Throne of Solomon is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The region dates back to 3,000 years ago in terms of human habitation; And it is one of the most important historical monuments of the country, which has been registered as the fourth Iranian monument in the UNESCO World Heritage. This collection is completely unique both in terms of the existence of archeological works and in terms of its connection with written historical and mythological documents in the north and west of Iran.
Prison Mountain is the name of a hollow cone-shaped mountain located three kilometers west of Takht-e Soleyman. This mountain was formed thousands of years ago due to the deposition of water minerals in its lake. This mountain was a place of worship during the Manichaean period from 830 to 660 BC. Numerous hot springs have been seen around the mountain of Soleyman Prison, which has healing properties.
During the prosperity of the Azargoshasb fire temple, the Sassanids used the mountain of Soleyman as a prison and some of its units, such as the fortress of the guard. Some archaeologists believe that the prison mountain was originally like Lake Takht-e Soleiman, and then its water dried up and returned to its current state.
In addition, at a distance of 65 meters from this mountain, there is a wall like a belt, the length of which is approximately 800 meters. One of the wonders of Soleyman Prison Mountain is the existence of springs and gas inside the pit, and it is interesting that the dilapidated walls of a sparkling spring are still active at the bottom of the prison mountain cavity.
Anahita Temple in Takht-e Soleyman
The Temple of Anahita in the northeast of the lake is also important because Anahita is the goddess of water revered by the ancient Iranians and there must be a special reason for the existence of such a temple. Between the two peaks, during the rainy season, a lake of melted snow water can be seen, and below there is a spring, which is the main reason for the presence of the Anahita Temple. This spring provided drinking water for the priests. To the north of Takht-e Soleyman Lake is the Azargashsab Fire Temple, which is the most important historical monument of this complex.
The world heritage of Takht-e Soleiman near the city of Takab includes the signs and remains of human settlement from the first millennium BC to the 11th century AH. The Center for the History of Iranian and World Civilization is one of the 22 registered works of Iran in the UNESCO list of historical monuments.
source: toirantour.com