The Sassanid Fire Temple of Kazeroon has been turned into a parking lot for heavy agricultural vehicles due to the neglect of cultural heritage officials.
Siavash Arya, researcher, and cultural heritage activist, by publishing new photos of the disorganized state of this Sassanid fire temple, which he made available to ISNA, warned against the way of maintenance and encroachment by farmers on its area and sanctuary.
In 1396 (2017) he also warned the authorities about the greenhouse being built in the area and sanctuary of the Sassanid structure.
This cultural heritage activist added that since that year, he talked with the cultural heritage officials of Fars province about determining the area and privacy of these Sassanid structures, and they had made promises, but after more than five and a half years, not only the location and site for the fire temple of Kazeroon has not been determined, and from and construction of the greenhouse was not stopped but to his surprise and disbelief several other have grown green within the first-class and few meters distances of the Kazeroon Fire Temple, which leaves nothing but regret from the carelessness and indifference of the cultural heritage managers.
This cultural heritage activist pointed to the conversion of this fire temple into a place for parking heavy agricultural and riding vehicles and said: farmers and landowners use the area of this fire temple as a parking lot, they have left their tools and machines around it, and create an ugly sight over there.
He considered the installation of electric poles in the arena and the sanctuary of the Sassanid Fire Temple of Kazeroon as another problem. He continued: “If the boundary of this historical structure had been defined before, this space would not be open for tampering with. There is not even a signpost to introduce this fire temple to the people, especially the natives, so that they understand the importance of this historical site.”
Kazeroon fire temple is located 10 kilometers southeast of Kazeroon city in Fars province. According to some researchers, it was built by “Mehrnarsi” or “Mehrnarse,” the famous minister of Bahram V Sassanid.
This cultural heritage researcher further said: Based on some documents, this fire temple was discovered by Maxim Siro in 1316 (1937). This quadrangle structure is built on 4 stone foundations and has a curved dome. The main materials used in the structure are stone and plaster mortar. The length of each of the side walls is 5.5 meters. The thickness of the stone foundations of the fire temple is one meter, and the width of each arch is 3.5 m. The foundation pillars’ height upto ground level is 2.4 m. The fire temple’s walls are 20.2 x 1 meter, but now only two legs of the quadrangle are available, and there is no trace left of its dome roof. These two remaining foundations have also been partially restored in the past. According to historical records, the Kazeroon Fire Temple was intact until the 3rd century (lunar calendar).
Kazeroon fire temple, under the same name, was registered in the national register under No. 331, in Bahman 1318 (1939).
