Kangelu Castle

Kangelu Castle stands near the village of the same name, which belongs to Savadkuh County. The castle is 39 kilometers from the town of Pol Sefid in Mazandaran Province, at an elevation of 1,811 meters above sea level. A large rampart survives on the castle's outer facade, and two walls are attached to it. To follow the slope of the hill on which the castle stands, these walls were built diagonally, angling downward. The architecture of the outer facade makes the castle look, from the front, like an eagle with its wings fully spread, which is why it is also called the Eagle of Mazandaran. Kangelu Castle was built with rubble stone, mortar, lime and gravel, and it originally had 3 floors. Over time the upper floors were destroyed, and today only parts of the first floor remain.

The climate at Kangelu Castle is like that of many towns and villages in Savadkuh, though it is colder because of the altitude. In general, the weather at the castle is cool and pleasant from mid-spring to late summer. When the weather in most parts of Iran begins to cool, it gets colder and colder here, and the castle and the nearby village have more snowy and rainy days than most parts of the country.

The easiest way to reach Kangelu Castle is by private car. Unless you are coming from northeastern Iran, you need to get to the Firuzkuh–Sari road. After reaching Kangelu village, you have to cover the rest of the route on foot: about 400 meters of gentle slope and 100 meters of steep slope. It is best to have mountaineering equipment for this stretch. For people coming from the northeast, the route is the reverse: after Qaemshahr, they should take the Firuzkuh road.

Because the Khatirkuh side road and the access route to Kangelu village are difficult to travel, and because you must hike to reach the castle, it is best to visit in the warmer seasons, from mid-spring to late summer. However, if you are an experienced mountaineer with a climbing team and adequate equipment, you can also see the castle in the snowy and rainy seasons, which has its own special appeal.