Atashgah of Isfahan

The Atashgah of Isfahan crowns a rocky hill on the city's western outskirts, where the eroded mud-brick remains of an ancient fire temple and citadel look out over the plain. The circular structure at the summit is thought to date from the Sassanid period or earlier, part of a religious and defensive complex tied to Zoroastrian practice. A steep path climbs past ruined walls and cells to the crowning chamber. From the top, visitors gain a wide view of the river valley and the modern city below the outcrop.