Introduction and Analysis of Shiyan Fire Temple, Islamabad-e Gharb

The architecture of the Sassanid period includes religious and non-religious buildings. Since Zoroastrianism was the official religion of Iran in the Sassanid period, religious buildings related to this period had an important status. Shiyan Fire Temple is one of the ancient shrines in Kermanshah, Iran, dating back to the Sassanid period. Architectural features include a four-arched room with corridors and architectural materials including rubble, stone carcasses, plaster, and gypsum mortar. The dimensions of the building are 14.5× 14.5 m in a square plan. So far, no detailed report or study has been published about this building, and the little information published has been through the writings and documents in the registration file of the building and some reports of the excavator of the Shiyan, according to which the Shiyan Temple is related to the Sassanid era. This research was based on fieldwork, and all available documents were reviewed. In addition, it was carefully studied in terms of plan, materials, and other architectural features. This study aims to introduce the building of the Shiyan Fire Temple as an example of lesser-known fire temples in the west of the country. Accurate identification of the characteristics of this monument can make the reconstruction of fire temples in western Iran smoother. In addition, the investigation of this building is effective in determining the chronology and use of similar buildings in this area. According to the architectural features of the Shiyan building, the materials and components used in the architecture, as well as other movable and immovable finds, this building can be considered a religious place of worship or a fire temple from the Sassanid period.