page_title: Damghan
section_title: Hashshashin Forts
hierarchical_section_title: Damghan / Hashshashin Forts
caption_attribution_description: فارسی: عمارت تاریخی چشمه علی دامغان
context_page_description: Damghan is the capital of Damghan County, Semnan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 57,331, in 15,849 families. It is situated 342 km east of Tehran on the high-road to Mashad, at an elevation of 1,250 m. It is one of the oldest cities on the Iranian plateau, stretching back 7,000 years, and boasts many sites of historic interest. The oldest of these is Tappeh Hessar, lying to the southeast of the city, which holds the ruins of a castle dating from the Sasanian Empire.
  The Tarikhaneh is one of the oldest mosques in Iran, built as a fire temple during the Sassanid dynasty, it was converted into a mosque after the advent of Islam. There are also many other historical buildings belonging to the Seljuk Empire and other periods. Apart from its historical interest, the city today is mainly known for pistachios and paper almonds with very thin shells.
context_section_description: North of the city, along the Cheshme Ali and Mazandaran road, there are two forts built on the top of two mountains.
  The first one is 5 km far from the city, on the peak of Gerdkuh, one of the main Ismaili's Hashshashin fortress which used by Hassan Sabah. It was finally conquered by the Ilkhanate under Hulagu Khan. Due to the circular shape of mountain peak, it was named Gerdkuh, Gerd for circular (round) and Kuh for mountain. This shape made it very difficult to access by invaders.
  
  Mehrnegar Fort is on Mansourkuh, 22 km north of city, along the road. The mountain is pyramidal and the fort located at its top. This was one of the fortifications of the Ismaili esoteric sect during Seljuk invasion and has been named Mehrnegar because of Princess Mehrnegar's love story.
caption: Cheshmeh-ye Ali, Semnan
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