SAEDNEWS: Anahita Temple, the second glorious stone building after Persepolis in Iran, has been constructed on a natural hill by using the platform method.
In ancient Persian rituals, Anahita was revered as the Goddess of Water, protector of fountains and rain, and a symbol of fertility, love, and friendship. Her legacy lives on through the magnificent temple dedicated to her, a testament to the ingenuity and devotion of Persia’s past civilizations.
Historians attribute the temple’s construction to three major eras—Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sassanid. Some scholars even suggest it was linked to an unfinished palace of Khosrow II in the late Sassanid period.
The temple’s foursquare design features elevated platforms on each side, constructed using the dry stone method—stones carefully stacked without mortar, combined with rubble masonry and plaster. The exterior walls are adorned with intricately carved stones, reflecting the artistic mastery of the era.
Entrances include two-way staircases on the southern side and a one-way staircase on the northeastern side, offering visitors grand access to the temple’s inner sanctum. A series of parallel stone columns both encircle the temple and fill its interior, with the outdoor courtyard similarly framed by stone pillars. Remarkably, the height-to-diameter ratio of the columns is 3:1, a design unique to the Anahita Temple worldwide.
Ingenious stone channels guided river water to the temple, culminating in a central pond. This sophisticated water system, both functional and aesthetic, stands as one of the engineering marvels of ancient Persia, blending devotion, architecture, and hydraulic brilliance.
Anahita Temple remains a symbol of Iran’s rich cultural heritage, captivating historians, architects, and travelers alike with its blend of spiritual significance and architectural genius.
