Natanz historical castle should be saved from oblivion
Iran boasts hundreds of historical sites which draw a large number of tourists every year. Tarqrud Castle is one of these monuments located in a suburb of the city of Natanz in Isfahan Province. Its construction dates back to the Parthian Empire (247 B.C. to 224 A.D.). The castle has an area of 30,000 square meters, with more than 400 units. The rock, on which the castle has been built, is between eight to twelve meters high. Unfortunately, it is among historical monuments that have slid into oblivion.
Historical evidence suggests that the castle had no residential use; it was used for defensive purposes. People took shelter in the fortress to save their lives when they came under attack. Two-story warehouses were built under the rooms of the castle to store supplies of food and keep sheep. The fortress is situated adjacent to a lake with the same name, Tarqrud Lake. The man-made lake made it difficult for invaders to reach the castle.
A cultural heritage expert told IRNA that the castle currently has private owners. Majid Nouri said women of Tarqrud town are the owners of the castle. In fact, the ownership pertains to their marriage portion.
Nouri noted that the castle has been badly damaged and should be renovated.
The head of the Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts Department of Natanz also said that the historical monument was renovated four times.
Hossein Yazdanmehr added that huge amounts of financial resources should be allocated for the revival of the castle because it covers a large area. He said the best way to restore the historical structure is to hand it over to the private sector. He, however, said this could be a complicated process because the ownership of the castle belongs to 313 people, who have passed it on to two to three thousand heirs.
Yazdanmehr said foreign and domestic investors are willing to make investments to restore the castle, adding that the ownership problems remain a major obstacle.
He said the government has allocated $25,000 for renovating the castle.