Yamchun fortress

Yamchun fortress (III c. BC – VII c. AD)

The Yamchun fortress is famous among the locals as the fortress of Zamr Fire worshiper (the fortress of fire worshipers), is located in the Yamchun settlement 3 km from the Vrang settlement. It occupies adjacent to the Wakhan ridge with a huge triangle cliff formed by two small mountain rivers Yamchun and Vichkut and it is one of the gigantic fortification premises of the Western Pamirs. The place where the fortress is built covers by slopes and terraces descending down and drops off steeply from the riverside thus creating a natural protection.

Yamchun fortress also consists of three walled areas like the Kahkaha fortress: below, middle, the biggest which has the form of triangle facing with its wide base to the valley and the citadel taking a flat top of this triangle. The difference between the elevation marks of the fortress and its base is equal to 300 m.

One of the interesting and impressive architecture of Yamchun is the triangle citadel which is possible to reach over the narrow trail from the north and west. In this part of the walls a powerful square tower is protruding with 6 m base tapering towards the top up to 1.3 meters. A 9 meter wall with parapet has preserved till today.

The surrounding walls of the citadel are built with carefully processed flat stones and fixed with clay. The towers of the citadel are two-storied and circle. The highest of them is 4 m, three-storied with loopholes, which are set up in staggered order 10 meters at the entrance of the bastion of the western part.

The size and the scales of the fortress and the defensive capacity are amazing until today. The length of the walls is 900 m from the south and western part of the fortress and the width of it is about 400 m. There are three powerful defensive lines are built for the intrusion of the enemies from the valley. Besides that there were special defensive towers with corridors and premises along the walls with loopholes. The enemies will never intrude but if intrudes otherwise they would be defeated.