The history of this city dates back to about 1500 hundred years ago in Iran, at the time of the Sassanid dynasty. The name Noushabad (meaning the “city of cold tasty water”) came from a Sassanid king who was passing through this area. He stopped to drink water from a well and he found the water extremely clear and cold. Therefore, he ordered a city to be built there and named it Anoushabad, which eventually turned into Noushabad. It is said that this city was one of the capitals of the Sassanid government during the reign of Anūshirvan.
Many of the city’s details have been destroyed by floods and the passage of time. However, pottery found by Archaeologists dating back to 1800 years ago, was still being used during the Safavid period (16th century) until the Qajar period (19th century).
It is said that this underground city was used for the security during the Arab and Mongol invasions of Iran.
The underground city of Ouyi
What we know today of the underground city of Ouyi is that it’s a labyrinthine network of tunnels, chambers, air ducts, staircases, small rooms, wells, canals, and booby traps all designed in 3 floors.
The depth of the city of Ouyi is estimated to be between 3 to 18 meters (10 to 60 feet). This mystery city complex is formed and spread all under the city of Noshabad (also spelled Nossh abad). Its area, according to locals, extends beyond the city’s historic fence and is estimated 4 kilometers.
On the walls of the city, traces of sharp edges can be seen. Due to the hardness of the earth’s surface, in this area, archaeologists have speculated that the equipment used for the excavation must have been made of diamond-like material.
The purpose of the city was two things. Firstly, it provided a place for the people to escape the deserts summer heat. Secondly, it allowed the inhabitants of the city to move from one part to another without encountering potential enemies.
The floors had different purposes. The first floor was in fact, a pavement of dead-end corridors to mislead potential intruders. The second and third floors were places of shelter and food storage in times of danger. These features helped the people of the city during an enemy attack
Numerous entrances to the underground city have been discovered, but as a result of floods over the years, many of them have been blocked.
There is only one entrance to the dreamy and beautiful city of Ouyi. The entrance to the underground city of Noshabad is a narrow corridor with the size of one person. You can enter by going down a number of forty-five steps.
There, you will encounter a massive water reserve structure and many corridors in the depths of the earth, which you will use to reach to the main parts of the city. These narrow corridors with the height of less than a standing man will take you to the inner parts of the city. Just upon entering you will start to smell the damp soil.
Regardless of the entrances, the height of all the walls are between 170 to 180 centimeters. It was a normal height of the people of that time. On the surface of the walls with short distances, you can see places for burning candles for lightning. In some parts, short platforms have been created for sitting, while in some rooms, it has been turned into a shelf for placing objects.
The Vertical wells act as communication channels for the floors, and U-shaped wells are for air conditioning. The air conditioning system works based on the difference of air pressure with the ground surface. This genius system allows air circulation for breathing.
The architecture of the underground city was much ahead of its time. Small underground rooms measuring two meters by two meters, toilets, shelter spaces, communication tunnels and air conditioning, and water wells are among just a few features of this amazing city.