“Secrets of the Ages: Discover the Massive Underground City Hidden Beneath Historic Central Iran!”
What’s more, the tunnels provided a convenient place for people to seek shelter and safety if the city was under attack.
“It is said that another use of this underground complex was as a hiding place or shelter in times of war,” Hatami stated.
The Fall Of Abarkuh’s Subterranean Settlement
Bernard Gagnon/Wikimedia CommonsThe city of Abarkuh, Iran.
At one point, it seems that Abarkuh’s underground city was quite expansive. Surveys have suggested that, of the 170 hectares that make up the “historical fabric of the city,” some 60 contained underground tunnels and canals. And indeed, such tunnels were a frequent feature of Qajar societies.
“There are many tunnels from the Qajar period in Iran, although it’s difficult to pin down an exact number,” Tsukerman told All That’s Interesting. “The Qajar dynasty was known for its large-scale infrastructure projects, including the construction of qanats, water reservoirs, and tunnels, many of which are still in use today…While it’s hard to give a precise count, the Qajar dynasty left behind a significant number of such structures.”
But unfortunately, most of the tunnels in Abarkuh are inaccessible today.
“After some of the aqueducts dried up, numerous constructions were carried out in the city, and their sewage was placed in these underground routes,” Hatami explained. “Unfortunately, for this reason, it is not possible to reopen the entire route, and currently only part of it has been excavated.”
As such, some parts of the underground city are lost to time. But the tunnels that remain accessible offer a fascinating glimpse at life in Abarkuh hundreds of years ago, and the enterprising nature of its people.
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