Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The Sea Water Distilling Plant.
Sea Water Distilling Plant
Contemplative paths.
Ayo Rock Formations
Parking Lot Shoeprints
Dewey Square Pylon & Bent 38
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Alresford Spy Toilet
This Public Bathroom in a Sleepy English Village Was an Epicenter for Cold War Espionage
1 day ago
Manhattan Well
The Manhattan Well: How Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton United to Solve a Murder Mystery
2 days ago
Beneath downtown Minneapolis, Schieks Cave has surprisingly warm groundwater, evidence of a subterranean heat island.
Schieks Cave Below Minneapolis Contains a Lake of Warm Sewage
3 days ago
Athenaeus described various kinds of Greek drinking vessels, like the deep, rounded skyphos and wide, flat kylix.
The Ancient Greek Guide to Succeeding at Dinner Parties
4 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Iran Viyar Dashkasan Dragon Temple

Dashkasan Dragon Temple

Two Chinese dragons guard the caves of this medieval temple in Iran.

Viyar, Iran

Added By
Aksel
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Chinese Dragon, Mihrab, and cave.   Aksel / Atlas Obscura User
Chinese Dragon, Mihrab, and cave.   Aksel / Atlas Obscura User
Temple complex.   Aksel / Atlas Obscura User
View from the temple to Soltaniyeh.   Aksel / Atlas Obscura User
Chinese dragon.   Aksel / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

You won’t find many temples like this in Iran. Two fierce dragons guard the rock, and they’re unique architectural additions within this part of Asia.

The Mongol king Öljaitü had the Dashkasan Dragon Temple constructed in the early 14th century. Three caves were quarried into the mountain to create the sacred space.

Four Chinese craftsmen built the rectangular temple and carved the striking dragon sculptures that sprawl across both sides. The dragons, which stretch to nearly 10 feet (three meters) in height, are surrounded by more traditional Islamic designs such as flowers. A mihrab, a niche in the wall that marks the direction of Mecca, was also added within the temple.

Some researchers believe this temple was initially used by the Zora-Astrian followers of Mithras (God of Light and Truth) in the Sassanid period (224 to 651).

Today, excavations of the temple remain half finished. Columns and debris have been moved to the area outside of the temple. The space looks a bit like a toddlers’ playground, with hundreds of fallen blocks scattered around.

Related Tags

Dragons Temples Caves Rocks Ecosystems Geology

Know Before You Go

You can get to the temple by taking a taxi from the city of Soltaniyeh, which is about 11 miles (18 kilometers) away.

Community Contributors

Added By

Aksel

Edited By

Osage

  • Osage

Published

January 4, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.isna.ir/photo/97022916028/Dragon-Temple
  • https://en.tripyar.com/iran/zanjan/soltaniyeh/attractions/ancient-and-historical/historical/dashkasan-temple-soltaniyeh.html
  • https://books.google.com/books?id=drkyDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT243&lpg=PT243&dq=Dashkasan+Dragon+Temple&source=bl&ots=LlQ8Jhz8iP&sig=_-pjO3yNvYMBFh7oV0EwDNXnpMI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwix3pfP7tHfAhWCVN8KHTd8ClY4ChDoATAGegQIARAB#v=onepage&q=Dashkasan%20Dragon%20Temple&f=false
  • https://www.toiran.com/en/city-zanjan/historical_sites/Dashkasan-Temple/7821
Dashkasan Dragon Temple
Viyar
Iran
36.330951, 48.864841

Nearby Places

Salt Men of Iran

Zanjān, Iran

miles away

Masuleh

Masuleh, Iran

miles away

Ali Sadr Cave

Ali Sadr, Iran

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Iran

Iran

Middle East

Places 52
Stories 17

Nearby Places

Salt Men of Iran

Zanjān, Iran

miles away

Masuleh

Masuleh, Iran

miles away

Ali Sadr Cave

Ali Sadr, Iran

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Iran

Iran

Middle East

Places 52
Stories 17

Related Stories and Lists

29 Dragon Places for the Lunar New Year

List

By Michelle Cassidy

Related Places

  • The view from Pahiyangala cave.

    Gavaragiriya, Sri Lanka

    Fa-Hien Lena (Pahiyangala Cave)

    The remains of a 37,000-year-old prehistoric society were discovered in this mammoth cave, one of the largest in Asia.

  • The entrance to the Devil’s Well

    Caprarola, Italy

    Pozzo del Diavolo (Devil's Well)

    Was this cave created by Hercules's wrath, the devil, or volcanic activity?

  • Mine, Japan

    Akiyoshido Cave

    Approximately 300 million years ago, a massive coral reef existed in what is now the largest limestone cave in Japan.

  • Cave of Maltravieso

    Cáceres, Spain

    Cave of Maltravieso

    A neighborhood park in the city of Cáceres hides what some believe are revolutionary examples of Neanderthal cave art.

  • Inside the caves, paths and features are brightly illuminated.

    Cacahuamilpa, Mexico

    Grutas de Cacahuamilpa

    One of the world’s largest cave systems houses legends, concerts, and wondrous rock formations alike.

  • Rock Art at Nino Konis Santana National Park.

    East Timor

    Rock Art at Nino Konis Santana National Park

    Ancient images hide within the park's caves.

  • Santa Barbara, California

    Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park

    Colorful Native American paintings are hidden within this small cavern.

  • Bunnet Stane.

    Gateside, Scotland

    Bunnet Stane

    This unusual rock looks like a giant, otherworldly mushroom sprouting atop a cave.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.