Sadd-e Eskandar
About 30 km to the north of Gonbad-e Qabus (Aq Qala) and on the way to the frontier of Turkamanistan Republic you can see the remains of a historical wall called Sadd-e Eskandar (Alexander's Wall, Qizil Alang or Red Wall) stretching more than 160 km to within about 5 km of the sea. Probably built by the Sassanian kings of Persia in the 6th century (and therefore not by Alexander the Great) as a bulwark to protect the Gorgan Plain against warring tribes to the north, this equivalent of Hadrian's Wall has crumbled or been cannibalized for building materials along most of its length. It was reinforced by forts every 6 km or so. The foundations at least are still clearly visible, and in places its original purpose can still be imagined. Getting there, requires a special permission in writing from the authorities (farmandari) and a taxi, which will not cost more than 15.000 Rials an hour.