Sheikh Makan

Iran, Iran

---

Sheikh Makan in Iran refers both to a village and to a notable historic complex in Ilam Province, and these two related sites are often discussed together.

The village of Sheykh Makan (also spelled Sheikh Makan) is located in the Aramu Rural District of Darreh Shahr County, Ilam Province, and is populated mainly by Kurds, with a recorded population of about 800 people in 154 households in the 2006 census. Just east of Darreh Shahr, on the hillside of Kabirkuh mountain within this village, there is a fortified structure known as Sheikh Makan Castle or Sheikh Makan Fort (also called Pour Ashraf Castle).

This castle dates physically to the late Qajar and early Pahlavi periods, as shown by an inscription giving the construction date as 1335 AH and naming the builder Mohammad Khan Pour Ashraf, a regional leader titled “Asharaf ol-Ashayer” by Ahmad Shah Qajar.

The three-story building is roughly semi-square in plan, covers about 1,470 square meters, and includes features such as multi-story scout towers, machicolations (defensive projections), internal stables, a detention center, and separate administrative/military and residential areas, reflecting a blend of military and civilian functions.