Bam Citadel

Bam (Persian: بم) is a city in the Central District of Bam County, Kerman province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. The modern city surrounds the ancient citadel which has a history dating back to around 2,000 years ago. The citadel is a popular tourist attraction and a world heritage site. Before the 2003 earthquake, the official population count of the city was roughly 43,000.

The ancient citadel of Arg-e Bam has a history dating back to the Parthian Empire (248 BC–224 AD), with many buildings built during the Safavid dynasty. There are various opinions about the date and reasons for the foundation of the citadel. Economically and commercially, Bam occupied a very important place in the world and was famous for its textiles and clothes. Ibn Hawqal (943–977), a foreign traveller and geographer, wrote of Bam in his book Surat-ul-'Ard (The Earth-figure):