Dere Castle is located in the western part of the Pirmam Mountain Range, 38 kilometers from the center of Erbil, only 2 kilometers on the left side of the road to Erbil, Darabzmara, and Sarukani village.
The castle is built on a high hill and consists of a strong military wall built around the hill and has security holes in the walls.
The remains of its walls are 1 to 6 m high. There are five rooms, a hall, a large courtyard of 23 x 21.70 meters, and a well.
Dere Castle in Erbil province was once a great castle to protect the power of the Emir of Soran Emirate and now it is ruined. It only remains as an ancient monument of the reign of the Emir of Soran and does not look like a castle that is part of Kurdistan's culture and heritage. However, historians believe that the history of the castle is much older than the history of the Soran Emirate and was only restored during the reign of this Kurdish Emirate.
According to historical sources, the construction of Dere Castle dates back to the first millennium BC, the time of the Assyrians; it was later rebuilt during the reign of Mir Mustafa, father of Mir Mohammed the king of Rwandez. The castle was used from 1800 to 1838 AD to monitor the trade routes between Soran and neighboring emirates and countries such as the Qajars in Iran and the Ottoman in Turkey. According to locals, it was inhabited until the early 20th century and was like a vacant lot. It was later evacuated and converted into an Iraqi government military base, and later a ruin remained.
The castle has a well and a reservoir that has now been filled. It had six towers to monitor the trade and people's routes between Mosul, Iran, and Turkey. People and traders from Kirkuk and Erbil reached the castle by walking through the villages of Bahrka and Bastora.
The General Directorate of Archeology of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRG) describes Dere Castle as follows: This castle is located 40 km north of Erbil, on the Erbil-Darabzmara Road near the village of Dere, which is named after this village. The castle is built on a hill and is 39 meters high.
The castle consists of an irregular six-sided building with six towers. On the southeast side of the castle are the remains of a mosque and a number of houses. Due to the similarities in the style of the walls and the materials used to build the castle, it is estimated that they are contemporary with the castle. The castle is generally made of irregular stone and clay material and in addition to the towers has a number of rooms that open onto a large courtyard. In the middle of the castle, there is a well that was supplied with water from the springs around it until the 1970s.
The castle is ignored and needs more restoration and promotion. In spring, especially in the first two months, many people visit the place and it has become a tourist area.
This castle has been damaged by some citizens in recent years and is in danger of being destroyed. Although the government plans to repair it, it has not yet been implemented due to financial issues.
According to the Erbil Archaeological Directorate, there are more than 1000 historical monuments in Erbil province, and the search still continues. The most famous monuments in Erbil are Khanzad, Dwin, Dere, and Banaman Castles, which are all in need of restoration.
