Anahita Temple
Anahita Temple is a must-visit destination in Kangavar, Kermanshah. It is the second-largest stone building in Iran after Persepolis. This valuable structure dates back to the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sasanian periods, and it is believed to have been built to honor Anahita, the guardian angel of springs and rain, and to celebrate purity. Some consider it an unfinished palace for Khosrow Parviz, the Sassanid king.
History
The Anahita Temple was built in ancient Iran to honor the goddess of water and was constructed over several centuries, beginning in the Achaemenid era and ending in the Sassanid period. However, after the arrival of Islam in Iran, many people who were unaware of the temple’s history built houses in the area, eventually causing the temple’s original form to be forgotten. The goddess of water, also known as Artemis in Greek culture, was revered by Iranians as the guardian angel and goddess of flowing waters, beauty, abundance, blessing, purity, and truth. Iranians chose the goddess Anahita as the keeper of Ahura Mazda’s emblem to emphasize values such as purity, honesty, birth, and life built numerous temples and shrines throughout Iran to pay homage to her.
Anahita temple architecture
Anahita Temple is situated on a 32-meter-high hill in the expansive Kangavar plain. The structure is built in the shape of a ziggurat, which is characteristic of Iranian ziggurat construction. The building’s dimensions gradually decrease from the base to the top. Anahita Temple has an architectural style and ambiance that is similar to Persepolis. Stone walls enclose it, and platforms have been created to level it with the hill. The main entrance of the temple is located on the southern side, and the staircase on both sides guides visitors into the temple.
Various historical works within the Anahita temple complex include Seljuk installations, Parthian tombs, stone inscriptions, and exploration objects. In the southern area of the temple, brick walls with a distinct architectural style from the main stone building were found. These walls were built during the Seljuk period and were part of the city facilities. The eastern wall of the complex contained ancient graves from the Parthian period, which included boat-shaped coffins. These coffins were likely symbolic of the journey to the world of the dead, as the bodies were found in a vaulted position with their hands parallel to their bodies and their faces facing the temple. The eastern wall also features various carvings, such as the broken cross, stars, sun, goats, wheel, geometric patterns of plants, fish, fish and water, ship anchors, etc. These carvings were most likely family marks of individuals who donated stones to the temple as a form of making vows and gifts to Anahita, the god of water.
Visiting the temple
During the first half of the year, the temple is open from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and during the second half from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
