Banaman / Khanzad Castle • قهلای بانهمان / خانزاد • قلعة بانمان / خانزاد
Banaman Castle typifies the 17th-19th century military forts built by the Kurdish Emirs. They were characterised by simplicity and defensibility, seen in the thoughtful, artful restoration job.
The name 'Banaman Castle' is from the adjacent village, while 'Khanzad Castle' is from the legend it was built for a princess named Khanzad. However, the real Queen Khanzad may have commissioned it.
The castle has six full rooms, a foyer, and a second-floor landing. Each of the two floors has a symmetrical layout with a foyer or landing at the front, with a room to the left, another to the right, and a larger grand hall ahead. The foyer has a stairway leading up to the roof. There are abundant windows allowing natural light. It is possible the structure once had additional decorations, which most likely would have included murals and plaster decorations. However, its military history might mean it always lacked extraneous treatments. The stairs have a beautiful, sculptural, rough-hewn quality rendered in heavy, hand-laid stucco. The home's aesthetic pleasure takes shape with each moment spent appreciating the sparse geometry.