Rising from the Depths: Nushabad Underground City

WANA (Aug 21) – Imagine, in the heart of a quiet and silent desert, enemies have attacked the city. Horsemen, with bare swords and fire in their hands, enter the narrow alleys. The houses smell of food, the stoves are still hot, the lamps are lit—yet not a single human being is seen.

A living city, but without inhabitants. A strange terror seizes the soldiers, as if the people had suddenly sunk into the depths of the earth. They did not know that, right beneath their feet, another city existed: the underground city of Nushabad, or “Ouyi.”

This man-made architectural marvel is one of the largest underground cities in the world, discovered entirely by accident in 2002 in Kashan, Isfahan Province, Iran.

The story of its discovery is as astonishing as the city itself: a well-digger, while excavating a sewage pit in the yard of his house, suddenly fell into the entrance of one of its hidden corridors—and revealed a city beneath the city. A city that had remained silent for centuries, but had once been built to save the lives of its people.

Nushabad Underground City in Isfahan, Iran. Social media/ WANA News Agency

From the Sassanids to the Qajars: a 1,500-year history

Archaeologists trace the roots of this city back to the Sassanid era, about 1,500 years ago. But the structure was not confined to a single period. In later turbulent times—ranging from the Seljuks and Safavids to the Qajars—it was expanded and used again and again.

Whenever foreign invasions or the raids of bandits threatened the lives of the people, they would close the doors of their houses behind them, descend through the oven or the stable, and seek refuge 20 meters below the ground.

During the invasions of the Mongols, Timurids, or Afghans, this underground city became a safe fortress. When the enemies entered the city, they found the houses warm and the lamps alight, but they could not find the people. This sudden disappearance broke the spirit of the attackers, as if a magical force had swallowed the inhabitants.

The secret of the name “Ouyi”

The local name of this city, “Ouyi,” comes from a word in the Kashani dialect. In the dark and winding tunnels, there was no direct line of sight. People would call out “Ouy!” to identify one another.

Nushabad Underground City in Isfahan, Iran. Social media/ WANA News Agency

If a newcomer failed to utter this password, he was taken for an enemy, and the guards would immediately eliminate him. Thus, a simple word guaranteed survival in the depths of the earth.

Architecture: An Ingenious Labyrinth

The underground city of Nushabad was built on three levels, at depths ranging from 4 to 22 meters.

• The first level, close to the surface, had a defensive function and was designed to mislead invaders.
• The second level served as a temporary dwelling, a food store, and a water reservoir.
• The third level, in the deepest section, was considered the safest place during times of siege.

The corridors were labyrinthine and winding, sometimes just wide enough for a single person to pass. Room entrances were often built from bottom to top, so that the person inside could have the advantage over an intruder. In certain spots, traps were set: sudden pits, dead-end passages, and stones that could instantly block a route.

Nushabad Underground City in Isfahan, Iran. Social media/ WANA News Agency

This complex design left the invader bewildered and defenseless. Anyone entering without knowledge would sooner or later be lost in the darkness or fall into a trap.

But what distinguishes Ouyi from many similar structures is its hidden entrances. Unlike historical buildings with visible gates and doorways, in Nushabad the entrances were so ingeniously designed that they were concealed within other structures—sometimes in the floor of a house, sometimes in an oven or stable, even inside public cisterns.

This choice had two essential functions: first, concealment in unsafe times; second, the intelligent use of existing buildings to create convenient and secure access to the depths of the earth.

Living Facilities Beneath the Earth

Contrary to the assumption, Ouyi was not merely a shelter; it was a true city. There were rooms for families, niches for lamps and personal belongings, and platforms for sitting or sleeping. To sustain life, there were food storage and underground cold rooms—naturally cool and dark—that preserved provisions.

Nushabad Underground City in Isfahan, Iran. Social media/ WANA News Agency

For ventilation, vertical shafts in L or U shapes were designed, which, through natural air pressure, carried fresh oxygen into the passageways. Lighting was provided by oil lamps. The places for these lamps are still visible on the walls, and one of them—seven hundred years old—has been unearthed.

There was even space for worship and prayer within this city. In the hot summer days, when life on the surface was unbearable, people took refuge in these cool depths.

The Vastness and Wonder of a World

Based on archaeological excavations, the extent of Ouyi is estimated to be more than 15,000 square meters. This expanse is not confined to a single spot; rather, it stretches beneath houses, alleys, squares, and even the bazaar of Nushabad. For this reason, it is regarded as the largest hand-dug underground city in the world.

What is astonishing is that this entire intricate network was built with primitive tools and without machinery—solely through the determination of people struggling to survive.

Entrance of Nushabad Underground City in Isfahan, Iran. Social media/ WANA News Agency

The Visiting Experience: A Journey into a Hidden World

Today, part of this city is ready to welcome tourists. The visitor descends stone steps from a water reservoir and suddenly enters another world: narrow passageways, low ceilings, and cool air. At every turn, a sense of adventure and discovery envelops them.

Unlike many historical monuments that are visible on the surface, Ouyi offers a different kind of experience; you are not merely looking at the past—you are literally walking within it.

A Legacy of Ingenuity and Resilience

The underground city of Nushabad is not merely a collection of rooms and tunnels; it is a symbol of the ingenuity and perseverance of people who, deep within history, found a way to survive. They realized that in order to live, they had to go underground—but they transformed the underground into a complete world, with homes, storage rooms, places of worship, and even a defensive system.

Today, alongside Tepe Sialk, Fin Garden, and the historic houses of Kashan, Ouyi holds a special place. It is a mysterious blend of history, architecture, and adventure that attracts thousands of domestic and foreign tourists each year.

Nushabad Underground City in Isfahan, Iran. Social media/ WANA News Agency