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Maimundiz was the famous Ismaili stronghold, located to the north of presently village of Shams Kilaya and westward from Alamut. Because of the great altitude, the cold was so extreme as to make it impossible for beasts to find a home or live in that location from the beginning of autumn until the middle of spring. According to Jamiut Tawarikh (p. 122), the construction of the fortress of Maimundiz began in 490/1097, but Kashani (d. 738/1338) determines in 497/1103 in his Zubdat al-Tawarikh (p. 144). Juvaini (2:627) however writes that it had been built in the time of Imam Alauddin Muhammad. It seems that the location had been selected earlier, where a small fortress was built, known as Maimundiz In the time of Imam Alauddin Muhammad, the site had been freshly chosen and projected for a stronghold. His officers and ministers had surveyed the heights and summits of the mountains during 12 years until they chose a lofty peak, and built there a castle, and provided it with ample supply of water. The family of Imam Alauddin Muhammad and his attendants were shifted from Alamut to Maimundiz. An expeditionary party organized at Oxford University for exploring the Ismaili castles of northern Iran identified the site of Maimundiz in 1960; vide The Castles of the Assassins (London, 1963) by Peter Willey. Dr. M. Sutude in Qila-i Ismailiyya (Tehran, 1966, pp. 108-122), who is well grounded with the geographical area, however rejected the identification of Maimundiz made by Peter Willey's expedition.