List of Kurdish castles
A Kurdish castle is a castle which was built by Kurds or built under a Kurdish state (this includes castles in which the builders were most likely Kurds)
| Official Name
Native Name |
Location | Picture | State/Tribe | Builder | Construction date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoşap Castle
Kela Xoşebê |
Van Province, Turkey | Mahmudi | Sarı Süleyman Bey | 1649 | The castle was built upon the foundations of a medieval Armenian fortress, itself preceded by an Urartian stronghold. | |
| Harran Castle | Şanlıurfa Province, Turkey | Ayyubid (reconstruction) | Al-Adil I (reconstruction) | c. 1200 (reconstruction) | Most of the present structure dates to the Ayyubid Sultanate (c. 1200) but the castle is substantially older. Its exact founding date is unknown but it appears to have been built at some point during the time Harran was under Byzantine rule (4th–7th centuries) and was originally a palace. | |
| Al-Rahba | Deir-ez Zor, Syria | Ayyubid | Shirukh (original castle)
Shirukh II (reconstruction) |
12th/13th century (original)
1207 (reconstruction) |
The original site, which was known as "Rahbat Malik ibn Tawk" was destroyed in an earthquake in 1157. A few years later, the current fortress was built by the Ayyubid lord Shirkuh (Uncle of Saladin). HIs descendants held al-Rahba as a hereditary fief granted by Saladin until 1264. One of them, Shirkuh II, oversaw a third major reconstruction in 1207. | |
| Xanzad Castle | Erbil, Kurdistan Region | Soran | Mir Xanzad | 16th century | The castle was built by Mir Xanzad the ruler of the Soran Emirate. She ordered it built to serve her as place of residence and as defense of Erbil, her capital. | |
| Srochik Castle | Barzinjah, Kurdistan Region | Unknown | Unknown | Unkown | The castle was used as a prison by the Baban dynasty. | |
| Sherwana Castle | Kalar, Kurdistan Region | Jaff | Mohamed Pasha Jaff | 1866 | The British destroyed many Palaces and Fortresses built by Kurds during the Mahmud Barzanji revolts. Sherwana Castle was the exception, since the Brits had good relations with the Jaff. | |
| Dimdim Castle | West Azerbaijan Province, Iran | Bradost (reconstruction) | Emîr Xan Lepzêrîn (reconstruction) | 1609 (reconstruction) | According to Kurdish oral tradition the fortress was built in the pre-Islamic era. It was the location of the Battle of Dimdim. | |
| Aghli Beg Castle | Baneh County, Iran | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | ||
| Barvish Kani Castle | Baneh County, Iran | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | ||
| Qujileh Castle | Baneh County, Iran | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | ||
| Shargeh Castle | Baneh County, Iran | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | ||
| Surin Castle | Baneh County, Iran | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | ||
| Akh Kand Bala Castle | Bijar County, Iran | Unknown | Unknown | Middle ages | ||
| Akh Kand Pain Castle | Bijar County, Iran | Unknown | Unknown | Middle ages | ||
| Khan Baghi Castle | Bijar County, Iran | Unknown | Unknown | Middle ages | ||
| Qala Qureh Castle | Bijar County, Iran | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | ||
| Ardalan Castle | Tuyserkan County, Iran | Ardalan | Unknown | Sometime between the 14th century and 1868 | ||
| Bajul Castle | Aligudarz County, Iran | Zand | Unknown | 18th century | ||
| Hoseynabad Castle | Taft County, Iran | Zand | Unknown | 18th century | ||
| Karim Khan Citadel | Shiraz, Iran | Zand | Karim Khan Zand | 1766-1767 | It was built as part of a complex during the Zand dynasty. It is named after Karim Khan, and served as his living quarters. In the past, the citadel was sometimes used as a prison. Today, it is a museum operated by Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization. | |
| Doran Castle | Kerman County, Iran | Zand | Unknown | 18th century |