The Bam citadel of Kerman

The Bam citadel of Kerman:

The biggest clay structure in the world which dates back to Ahaemenids era and had been used until the late nineteenth century. This place was almost destroyed by an earthquake in 2003 but revived very well later on to serve many tourists from all around the world.

It is also listed by UNESCO as part of the World Heritage Site “Bam and its Cultural Landscape”. The heyday of the citadel was from the 7th to 11th centuries, being at the crossroads of important trade routes and known for the production of silk and cotton garments.

The entire building was a large fortress in whose heart the citadel itself was located, but because of the impressive look of the citadel, which forms the highest point, the entire fortress is named the Bam Citadel; Bam in farsi means roof.

It bounded to north by Bam river or Poshrud river, to east by reminders of Hazrat Rasoul mosque and Baq Darvazeh gardens and to south by new established park and Hafezabad parish and to the west by Khajehmorad parish. Arg-e Bam complex includes old city and the citadel at an area about 20 hectares. The area of citadel is about 6 hectares. 

The only gateway which is used nowadays is the southern one. Turning from the northern end of Sajadi street to the east of Arg street, you would reach where that in the past there had been the moat of citadel and now there is a park with young trees and beautiful white and purple flowers of oleander bushes. This park has established by Bam municipality. 

One of the characteristics of this historical complex is the continuation of history in them. About 2000 years has passed away over this citadel. Its founder is Bahman the son of Esfandyar. Since archaeological researches have done about Arg-e Bam so there is no correct information about the date of its establishing. One of the studies about Arg-e Bam has been done by Mr Nurbakhsh and his colleagues which is published before Islamic Revolution in a book under the title of “Arg-e Bam”. According to him the building of citadel and the ancient city of Bam belong to the middle period of Parthians.

Arg-e Bam consists of:

1.  The main gateway
2.   Bazaar
3.   Tekyeh square
4.   The large mosque of Arg
5.   Mirza Na’im complex
6.   The small mosque
7.   Caravanserai
8.   Palestra (Zourkhaneh)
9.   Arg bath house
10.   Hesar-e Dovom gateway
11.   The school or monastery of Arg
12.   Stable
13.   Armory
14.   Wind mill
15.   Ruler house
16.   Chaharfasl
17.  The main wall of Arg
18.  The reminders of old fence
19.   Kenari Mahale or Qolam Mahale
20.  Kat korom gateway
21.  Jail

Visiting Arge Bam or Bam citadel is visiting an immortal citadel which has been fighting against fortune and fate to survive and tell us the stories of history…