Taq-e Gara

“Pataq" in Kermanshah province is the name of a gorge, canyon, valley, village as well as a historical site. Pataq is located along the Kermanshah-Sarpol-e Zahab road. Pataq gorge, which is also called "Gorge of Asia", "Gateway of Zagros", "Aqaba (means gorge) of Helwan" and " “Causeway Taq-Gara", was created out of the collision of "Nava" and "Dalaho" mountains.

The source of Elvand River is in this gorge, which is located at an altitude of 1900 meters above sea level. The road that passes through this gorge goes back to the Neolithic era and more than 11000 years ago. Also, the road from Ctesiphon, the capital of the Sassanid Empire, to the middle parts of Iran also passed through this gorge. It was here that the Iranian army stopped the allied forces under the command of "Field Marshal William Slim" from advancing. 

It is in this ancient gorge that another sign of history can be found. A stone arch standing beside an ancient paved road. Taq-e Gara is a stone arch whose construction dates back to the Sassanid Khosrow II dynasties. Taq-e Gara was responsible for guarding Iran's western borders. Archaeologists have identified this vault as a border station. 

Taq-e Gara is a rectangular structure made of stone and mortar. It is about 12meters height, eight meters long and five meters width. The structure foundation is more than one meter high and the distance between the ground and the beginning of the arch is nearly six meters. There are also stone congresses on top of the structure.