Savadkuh County

Savâdkuh consists of four cities

Savâdkuh consists of four cities, PolSefid, Zirab, Shirgah and Alasht; two districts Central and Ŝirgâh; and 6 hamlets, Ŝarq o Qarbe Ŝirgâh, Lafur, Sorx-kolâ, Valupei, Rastopei and Kassiliyân. Having 250 seasonal and permanent villages, the language spoken in Savâdkuh is Mazandarani. Its native inhabitants are Shiite Muslims.

The farmlands in Savâdkuh are limited because of its large forests and mountainous areas. So the farmers use their crops themselves, including rice, wheat, barley and sugar cane. According to geographical features, the economy of this city is based on apiculture and animal husbandry, more than agriculture.

Historical background

Darius I, the great Achaemenian monarch in his famous inscription in Behistun, mentions Pâtišvâreš as one of the territories under his rule. This Old Persian form subsequently became Middle Persian Pateŝxârgar and, following the Arab conquest, Perso-Arabic Faršavâdjar. The Greek historiographer Strabo records this name as Prâxovâtrâs.

In his inscription at Ka'ba-ye Zartosht, the second Sassanid monarch Shapur I, refers to the region as Pâdešxâr. In the Book of Deeds of Ardashir, Son of Babag, it is Patešxâr again. Ebne Esfandiar and Mir Zahirod-Dine Mara‘shi – the old geographers of Mazandaran – give its name as Patešxârgar as a large area in present-day Mazandaran, including Azerbaijan, Gilan, Tabaristan, Kumesh and Damghan.

Mohammad Hassan Khan (Etemad Saltaneh's Tadvin Fi Ahval Jebal Ŝervin, History of Savâdkuh) mentions it as the old name of the ancient area of Savâdkuh. They believe that the word "Savad" was distorted and changed to Faršavât. Savâdkuh enjoyed great importance in the history of Tabaristan and even in Iran.

Its tall mountains were the feudal seats of the Bavand dynasty, with which the Karan-Vands were allied. They defended the area against the invasions of the Amawid and Abbasids and tried to preserve their Zoroastrian religion and culture. The existence of numerous fortresses and military fortifications that date to the 8th-10th centuries vindicate this claim. In addition, Lajim tower with its 10th century brick-face inscription in Pahlavi script demonstrates the attention of the Savâdkuhs to the script, language and customs of their ancestors. The population of this region composed many poems, describing the heroic efforts and bravery of their notables.

Language

The languages spoken in Savâdkuh are Mazandarani and Persian, for the major part; and Mazandarani and Persian for the inhabitants of the villages.

Natural attractions

The most important natural attractions of Savâdkuh are: Ŝur Mâst lake, near a village by the same name, Gâzu waterfall in Lafur hamlet, waterfalls of Ŝirgâ and Gaduk, the mountains of Arfa Kuh, Sangâr and Qadamgâ, in Rassto Pei hamlet and Shervin mountain in Valu Pei hamlet; and Alaŝt city.

Balu Bridge

Located along the Ŝirgâh-Zirab road, near Talar river, it was made of fired bricks and mortar. The main part of this bridge was destroyed because of breaking, and now two herring-bone-shaped arches remained intact. One of them is 3 metres (9.8 ft) wide and 4.75 metres (15.6 ft) high, and another is 4.5 metres (15 ft) wide and 5.50 metres (18.0 ft) high. According to its architectural features, it probably dates back to before the Safavid dynasty.

Urim Rudbâr Church

This monument was built, following the erection of the northern Iranian railway. It was used for religious ceremonies by foreign personnel. The church consists of a chamber, measuring 4.20 by 5.20 metres (13.8 by 17.1 ft). With a height of 4 metres (13 ft), it houses a prayer niche and four cement candlesticks. The construction was made of stone and cement.