kilometers tunnels and chambers below the surface, this is what makes up the city of Nushabad, an ancient construction that dates back from antiquity to present-day Iran. A refuge during the wars which is now a tourist spot.
Also known as Ouyi, it is located in Isfahan, a province in central Iran. The complex of tunnels and underground passages earned him the title “Metro City“.
The underground city of Nushabad
Some experts suggest that it is one of the capitals of Chosroes Ione of the main kings of the Persian Sasanian dynasty, who ruled between 531 and 579 AD. vs.
The story goes that a Sasanian king, possibly Chosroes himself, stopped in the area to drink water from one of the wells, amazed at how it was cold and clear. Accordingly, he ordered a city to be built around the well and called it Anoushabad, or “City of cold and tasty water“.
Whether the legend is true or not, the fact is that despite being in middle of the desertIt has indeed fresh and cold water.
Access to the tunnels only allows access to one person at a time to prevent them from invading the underground city. Credit: Enzo Nicolodi/Wikimedia Commons
Over the years, the underground city has become more than just a drinking resting place, it has also served as a shelter for invaders and wars. A clear example of this was the Mongol invasion of Iran In the 13th century, when invaders arrived in the city, they found it totally empty as its inhabitants took refuge below the surface.
It is known that this method of protection has been used throughout history, until the Qajar period.
The underground complex has several features that facilitate its work as a refuge. One of them is in your access points; although they have several, these are so narrow that they can only pass One person at a time.
This meant that the invading army could not rely on numerical superiorityeven though they found the Nushabad entrances.
There were also the ventilation ducts which allowed fresh air to circulate without problems and the springs provided fresh water. Thanks to this, the refugees were able to stay long periods of time.
Similarly, it is suggested that there were areas of food storagein addition to the chambers that were found in the excavations, as well as projections that served as benches or beds.
Incredible constructions under the surface
The place has different passages and chambers. With fresh water and ventilation.
Nushabad currently has a population of about 10,000 and is one of the most important tourist centers in the country following the astonishing discovery of 2006.
A neighbor who was digging land on his property to open a well found a big surprise: a huge labyrinthine complex of tunnels, passages and underground chambers.
The town is approx. 4 and 18 meters deepdepending on the area, and covers 4 square kilometers of extension. The rooms, corridors and channels that compose it are structured in three interconnected levels, whose height varies between 1.70 and 1.80 meters.
Each passage has chambers on the sides, possibly a family stay. The vertical tunnels serve as Link between the different levels and others in the shape of a “U”, would be the ventilation openings.
Interior of the underground city of Nushabad, Iran. Credit: Friend Iran.
The complex includes an impressive vaulted cisternwhich is currently used to receive tourists.
You might also be interested in: Derinkuyu – the largest underground city on the planet, an ancient refuge.
The underground city was used throughout the Middle Ages, at the time of the safavid empireCome in 1501 to 1722 AD. vs.was also used in the years of the Kajar dynasty, which ruled Iran between 1758 and 1925. However, towards the end of this period it fell into disuse, being forgotten until early 21st century.
One more example of the level of engineering used by ancient architects and which continues to amaze us to this day: will Nushabad be the only underground city in the region? How many more will be found in the world yet to be discovered?
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