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Noushabad Underground City Reveals History

Noushabad underground city or the Ouyi is a secret in the heart of the earth in Kashan from the Sassanid period.
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Introduction to Noushabad Underground City

The Noushabad underground city or the Ouyi is a secret in the heart of the earth. The location is 14 km from Kashan in Noushabad city. The name of Noshabad comes from the root, Anousheh, meaning imperishable and eternal. Regarding the name, Noshabad was known as a happy city. Noushabad underground city is the largest hand-digged one in the world. Nushabad is very close to Aran and Bidgol city near Kashan. If you have enthusiasm for history, art and archaeology, visit the ancient city. A city that manifests the ancestors’ lifestyle by walking through the short and narrow corridors. Noushabad underground city was one of the Sassanid capitals during the Anushirvan rule. A person who was going to dig a well in his house discovered such an incredible structure accidentally. On the other hand, the reservoir adjacent to the underground city was used to enter the city since the main access could not be found.

Noushabad Underground City, Kashan Travel Attraction

The name of Noushabad Underground City

The Noushabad underground city is famous as Ouyi in the Kashani dialect which means Hey. There is a theory that when people lost each other in these corridors called to find each other loudly with the word “Oyi”. However, some believe that the city was known by this name when they built it. Another possibility is that those who dig the ground shouted the word “Oyi” when the containers were filled, and then, the other person lifted the container outside.

Landscaping and architecture of Noushabad Underground City

The human hands dug up and formed gradually Noushabad Underground City during the Sassanid period. The city’s function was for defence and military purposes in different periods. Human hands built Noushabad on three underground floors connected by vertical wells at 4 to 18 meters of depth. On the first floor, we see many corridors that were used to mislead potential pursuers. On the second and third floors, it was possible to live and store food. The rooms’ lighting was provided by tallow lamps that were placed on the wall. Archaeologists found one of these lights in the heart of the city, which is 700 years old.

Noushabad, Kashan travel attraction

Unique design to prevent enemy entry Nushabad

There are several entrances to the city; The first one leads to a smaller space. Experts say the first entrance was probably for the city’s ruler and the second one for the inhabitants. At the second entrance, we go down about 50 steps to reach Noushabad underground city. There is a large reservoir that connects to the underground city of Ouyi through a tunnel. The impressive point about entering the city is that when people entered the underground city, the person in front of everyone turned on the lights, and the last person turned off the lights so that if an enemy was looking for them, he would not find them. In addition, the corridors are designed for only one person passing through them. Inhabitants have to be bent in some places, and in some, they have to crawl. Although a part of the Noshabad underground city was flooded, visitors can still experience a unique adventure there.

Nushabad underground city, Kashan travel attraction

Air conditioning system of Nushabad

One of the Noushabad underground city’s unique features is the ventilation system. The intelligent inhabitants designed the city’s U-shaped channels from the ground, that in addition to passing people in times of insecurity, made air circulation possible. The delicacy used in the city’s construction is commendable. Noushabad Underground City consists of walls next to the aqueduct water streams so that cool air can flow inside. People can breathe easily in the depths of the earth as a reason for water streams. On the other hand, on the ventilation wells, there are stone caps that are blocked when there is a sense of danger or smoke enters the floors. Moreover, on each well, there are several rubble stones and if the enemy intends to enter the area, people could hit them with rocks as defence tools.

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