Arg-e-Bam
The Arg-e-Bam is the largest adobe building in the world, located in Bam, a city in the Kerman province in southeastern Iran. It is listed by UNESCO as part of the World Heritage Site “Bam and its Cultural Landscape”. This enormous citadel, situated on the famous Silk Road, was built some time before 500 BC and remained in use until 1850 AD. 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.
Outside the crenellated walls, like most medieval fortresses, there is a wide moat and the area within the walls is over 200,000 square meters; the outer walls are 8 meters high and 5 meters thick and the complex consists of 5 main parts:
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- The gatehouse, the bazaar the living quarter of the general population, the mosque and little workshops.
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- The stables and houses of the stablemen attending the horses.
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- An artillery yard within a quadrangular double story building and a water well.
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- Living mansions, slightly superior to the earlier houses, accommodating the trusted military and civil staff of the ruler and the main prison of the citadel.
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- Residence and headquarter of the ruler.
As one enters the gatehouse at the south, one walks up a slightly sloped stone paved pathway through the old bazaar, from where a maze of twisting lanes lead to the remains of dwelling places and military barracks. One can proceed further up steep and narrow stairways to the pinnacle of the fortress and eventually reach the strongly fortified headquarter of the ruler.
From the vantage position in the highest watchtower within the rulers precinct one can enjoy a panoramic view of the evergreen palm and citrus groves of Bam as well as the entire complex. Once upon a time there has been thriving hustle and jostle of people in the bazaar, the stampede of the cavalry, dismounting of merchandise in the market, vigilant guards walking up and down the raised platforms, behind the all but impregnable walls of Arg – e – Bam.
On December 26, 2003, the Citadel was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake, killing 50,000 people, along with destroying much of the rest of Bam and its environs. UNESCO announced the rebuilding process of the Citadel to take place.
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