In the distant historical centuries, a carvansarei (robat) was built on the road connecting Semnan and Damghan’s cities. One of these two structures, called “Robat Anushiravani,” is a survivor of the Sasanian kingdom. It has been damaged over time but still has signs of its ancient glory.
You will find the Anushirvanai robat at 36 km from The Semnan-Damghan Road, where the Ahouvan range stands. Ahouvan has snowy and frigid winters and its mountainous pass in the winter, and its road pass in the winter season, with storms and heavy snowfalls, creates difficulty for people to come and go. Instead, its summers are cool and pleasant, and its foothill villages are attractive for tourism and enjoying its charming ecosystem. Ahouvan villages are called “Kalate,” Kalate are full of blooming gardens. Robat Anushiravani (next to Shah Abbasi Ahouvan Caravanserai, which we will mention) situated in the picturesque land.
In historical and geographical documents, the founder of Anushirvani robat is written to be King Anushirvan I, the famous and just Sassanid ruler. It has been added that in the first half of the fifth lunar century, Sharaf al-Din Ma’ali Anoushiravan, the king of Al-Ziyar, expanded and restored it. However, obtaining a precise history of the construction of Anushirvani robat may require more historic research.
Features of Anushirvani robat
This structure, which is now more or less half ruined, was built square shaped. Stone, plaster and mortar were used to build it, making it into a structure that is still standing, despite complete negligence, after more than 1000 years. If renovations and restorations were done on it, in the periods that followed, we would have had a carvansarai from ancient times that would be intact.
Anushirvani robat has four porches; two of them are bigger and two smaller. About 85m is the length of the biggest porch and 40m is the length of the smallest porch. The construction and architecture of this robat are such that it leaves no doubt that this structure was built in the Sassanid era for easy transportation of travelers, and it had no military use. This point proves that the construction of caravanserais has an ancient history in Iranian architecture.
There are 20 rooms around this carvansarai. These chambers and the four porches have ceilings. Those in the know say that there are few examples of such a method in constructing a caravanserai, which should be considered one of the best features of Robat Anushiarvani.
The most beautiful part of this structure are the entrances. The two entries are built facing the high mountain, giving it a spectacular view. Three semi-circular towers have been constructed in the three parts of east, west, and south of Robat, and two towers have been built on both sides of the entrance door of the structure. Despite the damage done to this carvansarai, its splendid and architectural beauty is still amazing.
It seems that this carvansarai was being used until the 8th century and during the reign the Mughal tribes. But, after that, it lost its importance, especially since the Shah Abbasi carvansarai was built near it, during the Safavid era, which attracted more travelers. Anushirvani robat then had military use in the Qajar times and became a barracks for soldiers. The walls, a part of the entrance hall, and a plan of its rooms are now left from this ligament.
As mentioned above, near Anushirvani robat, the Safavid carvansarai was built in the last years of the 11th century. This caravanserai is incorrectly called “Shah Abbasi” while it was built during the time of Shah Suleiman Safavid. Alas, the inscription of this caravanserai was looted in the past years! It was sometimes used as a sheep pen!! In the spring of 1394 (2015) there was news that the Safavid carvansarai of Ahuvan is in danger of destruction (Farda website). In September 2022, the general department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Semnan province was quoted as saying that the restoration of this magnificent historic work has begun (Donyaye safar website).
