If you are interested in underground cities and know famous underground cities in the world like Derinkuyu, in Cappadocia, Turkey, Shanghai Tunnels, in United States, Edinburgh Vaults, in the United Kingdom, Dixia Cheng, in China, etc you might also have heard about the biggest underground city in Iran, called Noushabad.
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NOUSHABAD- AN UNDERGROUND CITY
Noushabad Underground City, the most breathtaking underground cities in the world, is one of the sights of Kashan in the city of Noushabad. The history of this city goes back to almost one thousand five hundred years and the Sassanid period.
Noushabad, one of the ancient and historical areas of north of Isfahan, known as one of the Sassanid capitals in the Anushirvan period, is located five kilometers from Kashan (the city of the ancient Silk Hills). This underground city which is called Ouee was discovered in 2006, accidently, by a person who was digging a well in his house.
In addition to the underground city of Ouee, there are other sites to visit in Noushabad city such as the Grand Mosque and Imam Ali Mosque, brick castle of Si Zan, historical bridge of Ishaqabad, and the Atiq Mosque.
The Ouee complex is formed by compact and extensive structures such as narrow corridors and small rooms. The depth of the city of Ouee has been estimated between 4 to 16 meters and its area, according to the locals, has extended beyond the historical fence of the city and is estimated at 4 kilometers.
This complex, which has been created as a subdivision of the city of Noushabad in the form of a series of rooms, corridors, wells and canals in 3 floors, has sharp edge impacts on its walls. It has been raised that the tools used for drilling should be of a diamond-like material.
City architecture
The first floor was in fact corridors to mislead potential pursuers and the second and third floors were for food storage, places of refuge and living in times of danger. Numerous entrances to the underground city have been identified, which have been blocked by floods. The city had winding corridors, small and large rooms, defensive traps that were supposedly used during enemy attacks.
All parts of Ouee had the normal height of a human being, between one hundred and seventy to one hundred and eighty cm, except its entrance.On the surface of the walls and at short distances, there is On the walls of this complex you can see a place of tallow lamp.
In some parts, you can see short platforms that were created for sitting. In some rooms these platforms become a niche for placing objects. The entrance to the underground city of Noushabad is as narrow corridor as the size of one person. When you enter the city, you can smell the wet soil.
Vertical wells acted as floor communication channels and U-shaped wells for air conditioning. The spaces intended for the city are equal to the necessary spaces and its ventilation system works based on the difference between the air pressure and the ground, which makes possible the circulation and purification of the air. You can see small rooms, toilets, shelter spaces, communication tunnels and air conditioning and water wells in this underground city.
It is said that this city was used for the security of the people during the Mongol invasions. Many details of the city have been lost due to floods and the passage of time, but potteries have been found that go back to 1800 years and the Sassanid era, which was used in the Safavid period until the Qajar era.
This outstanding city has only one entrance and after passing forty-five steps, you are faced with a compact structure and many corridors in the depths of the ground, after which you reach the main parts. This beautiful and special city was registered as a cultural heritage in 2006 with the number 15816.
Although Ouee is the most attractive city of Noushabad, which attracts lots of tourists every year, many tourists are still unaware of the existence of this city.
