Shapur Cave/ Kazerun

Type of attraction: historical, cultural, natural

Province: Fars
City: Kazerun
Period : Sassanid

Visiting time: The first half of the year from 08:00 to 20:00, the second half of the year from 08:00 to 18:00 (Solar calendar)

Visit duration: approximately 2 hours

Access: An hour and a half walk

Address: , 4 km from Tang-e Choogan,6 km from the historical city of Bishapur, 30 km north of Kazerun city, Fars Province, Iran.

Kazerun city was an important strategic location for Sassanid empire. In this city, there are some historical monuments and remaining of prominent military urban structures from Sassanid period. One of them is ancient city of Bishapur located 12 km from Kazerun. Near Bishapour, there is a beautiful valley called Tang-e Chogan where you can visit an historical cave called Shapur cave. When you go up the mountain, in the entrance of the cave, you will be surprised by seeing huge statue of Shapur. Shapur was one of the most powerful Sassanid king who achieved great victories against the Roman. His picture was carved below the tomb of Darius the great, on Naqsh-e Rostam , and other locations in Fars province.

Fars province undoubtedly have many historical, cultural, and natural attractions, and Kazerun is also a part of these attractions.

Shidrokh Travel Agency is ready to provide you with free consultation, travel services and specialized tour of Bishapur and Shapur cave.

Tips for your trip to Shapur Cave:

• The best time to visit is in the early hours of the morning
• It is about one hour and a half walking to cave.
• Make sure to bring requirements such as water, sunscreen, suitable shoes and chocolate for those who have hypoglycemia because we will pass a long and exciting walking route.

Shapur cave located 800-meter height from the ground and the hike up to it is very exciting and breathtaking. You can easily find the right direction because the path is marked. After climbing up 230 steps, you will reach the cave which its opening is 30 meters and its height, 15 meters. In the entrance, you can see a colossal statue of Shapur which is the only 7-meter-long statue of antiquity time dating back to about 1800 years ago. The statue had been collapsed before it is rediscovered in modern time and it was raised again and is restored. The statue has been carved from one big stalagmite by Sassanid’s artists.

This statue is a beautiful sculptural art that all of details were carved in realistic style, king’s clothing, his curly hair, his hanging sword and his beautiful crown… All these details show the importance of art for people of that era.

Inside the cave, beautiful natural rock formations have been created over thousands of years.  There are also pictures of animals in the cave. Both sides of the wall were prepared to carve relief or inscription have been carved but they were left unfinished. In the depth of cave, there are two ancient water-basins with depth of 1 meter and both have stairs to access to water. In these basin, the water that drips from the ceiling to the bottom of the cave was collected and provided water for the residents. On the left of the water basins. There are two other caves near Shapur cave. They called Shapur’s Mother’s Cave and Marble cave (some believe that Shapur was buried in this cave).  There are many stories and narratives about these caves. Come along with Shidrokh to explore these stories.

One of these narrations, which led to the destruction of the statue, belong to Arab invasion to Iran and this region on August 26, 633 AD. According to historians, in this place, there were precious treasures which were looted. Indigenous peoples tried to prevent the Arabs from destroying the statue, but when the cave was captured by Nasr ibn Sayyar, one of the Arab generals, he collapsed Shapur statue. But in 1957, a group of Iranian military raised the statue again.

There are two inscriptions in the cave, one translates own Shapur inscription on Naqsh-Rajab, another is about restoration of statue by army.

Feel free to contact Shidrokh Travel Company to book Kazerun  tour and to visit and explore beautiful and historical attraction of Shapur Cave.