List of Ismaili castles

Location of several of the Ismaili castles in the regions of Alamut and Rudbar.

List of the castles of the Nizari Ismaili state in Persia (Iran) and Syria.

The state had around 200 fortresses overall, most of which were spur castles. Most of the Persian Ismaili castles were in Alborz mountains, in the regions of Daylaman (particularly, in Alamut and Rudbar; north of modern-day Qazvin) and Quhistan (south of Khurasan), as well as in Qumis. Most of the Syrian Ismaili castles were in Jabal Bahra' (Syrian Coastal Mountain Range).

Persia

Ismaili castles in Persia (Iran)

Name	Persian name / Alternative spellings	Location	Condition	Image	Coordinates	Notes
Alamut Castle	الموت	Alamut region	Ruined, partially restored			The main castle of the Nizari Ismaili state.
Lambsar Castle	لمبسر, لمسر, Lamasar, Lambasar, Lanbasar	Rudbar, Rudbar region	Ruined			Captured, refortified, and governed by Kiya Buzurg-Ummid. Probably the largest Ismaili castle.
Rudkhan Castle	قلعه رودخان	Daylam	Mainly intact
Maymun Diz	میمون دژ, Maymundez, Meymundezh	Alamut region
Samiran Castle	قلعه سمیران	Rudbar, Rudbar region
Nevizar Shah Castle	قلعه نویسر شاه, Nevisar Shah	Alamut region
Gerdkuh	گردکوه, دژ گنبدان, Girdkuh	Qumis region, near Damghan				The last Ismaili castle that was surrendered to Mongols.
Saru castles	قلعه سارو, Soru	Qumis region, near Semnan	Mainly intact			Two nearby related castles, Greater Saru and Lesser Saru, is recently attributed to Ismailis.
Mo'menabad Castle	فلعه مؤمن‌آباد	Quhistan region, modern-day Darmian County
Qa'in Castle	قلعه قائن	Quhistan region, modern-day Qaen
Furg Castle	قلعه فورگ, Furk Castle	Quhistan region, modern-day Darmian County	Mainly intact
Kuh-e-Ghal'eh	کوه قلعه	Quhistan region, near Ferdows		Error creating thumbnail: File missing		The biggest fortress in south Khurasan, per Tarikh-i Jahangushay. Burned by the invading Mongols.
Khalanjan Castle	قلعه خالنجان, خولنجان, شاهدژ, Khulanjan, Shah-Dezh	Nehbandan County
Arrajan Castle	ارجان	Behbahan, Khuzestan

Syria

Ismaili castles in Syria

Name	Arabic name / Alternative spellings	Location	Condition	Image	Coordinates	Notes
Masyaf Castle	قلعة مصياف	Hama	Partially restored			The most famous Syrian Ismaili castle.
Abu Qubays	قلعة أبو قبيس	Hama	Partially ruined			Purchased from Iftikhar al-Dawla, the Fatimid governor of Jerusalem.
Qalaat al-Madiq	قلعة المضيق, Qal'at al-Mudiq	Hama	Residential area			Purchased.
Aleika Castle	قلعة العليقة, Uleyqa	Tartus (in Jabal Bahra')
Al-Qadmus Castle	قلعة القدموس, Al-Qadmous; Kadmus	Tartus (in Jabal Bahra')	Ruined			Purchased from Muslim forces.
Al-Kahf Castle	قلعة الكهف	Tartus (in Jabal Bahra')	Partially ruined			Probably the main residence of Rashid al-Din Sinan. He died in the castle in 1192. Ismailis had purchased the castle from Muslims in 1138.
Khawabi Castle	قلعة الخوابي	Tartus (in Jabal Bahra')	Residential area			Conquered by Baibars in 1273.
Rusafa Castle	قلعة الرصافة	Hama (in Jabal Bahra')	Partially ruined			Rebuilt by Sinan. Conquered by Baibars in 1271.
Qulay'ah Castle	قلعة القليعة	Tartus (in Jabal Bahra')
Sarmin Castle	قلعة سرمين	Idlib (in Jabal Bahra')
Maniqa Castle	قلعة المنيقة	Latakia (in Jabal Bahra')

See also

• Nizārī Ismā'īlī
• Nizārī Ismā'īlī state
• History of the Shī‘a Imāmī Ismā'īlī Ṭarīqah
• List of castles in Iran
• List of castles in Syria
• List of Crusader castles
• Baltit Fort, used by Ismailis of the Hunza princely state in Pakistan

External links

• "Nizari Ismaili Concept of Castles", The Institute of Ismaili Studies