The Persian Qanat: Travel to the Mysterious Corridors
Throughout the arid regions of Iran, agricultural and permanent settlements are supported by the ancient Persian Qanat system of tapping alluvial aquifers at the heads of valleys and conducting the water along underground tunnels by gravity, often over many kilometers. The eleven Qanats representing this system include rest areas for workers, water reservoirs and watermills. There is nothing strange about Qasabeh Qanat of Gonabad, and it may seem that the mystery of this place is a great joke that has brought many people from a distance. But with a little care we understand that what is before us is not just a simple Qanat, like many of the country’s aqueducts, but also the largest, longest and oldest aqueduct of the world. An aqueduct with dark and black corridors that still provides water for the city, but nobody has ever come across. Nobody has any idea of the end of this aqueduct and its only length is 35 kilometers. The aqueducts with a depth of more than 300 meters showcased the blue masterpiece of the world since 2700 years ago.
The Miracle of Persia: Persian Qanat
Astonishingly, the structure of this aqueduct has caused its name to be registered by the Cultural Heritage Organization in 2000 with the number 2963 in the national list of Iran and at the Istanbul Summit on July 24, 1959 in the list of works registered at UNESCO.
Persian Qanats provide exceptional testimony to cultural traditions and civilizations in desert areas with an arid climate.
The Iranians rip the foothills in search of water, and when they find any, by means of Qanats they transfer this water to a distance of 50 or 60 kilometers or sometimes further downstream.
No nation in the world can compete with the Iranians in recovering and transferring groundwater. ‘ITwy make use of groundwater in irrigating their farmlands, and they construct qanats almost everywhere and always succeed in extracting groundwater.
Jean Chardin, 15th and 16th century
Enter to the Water Masterpiece of the World
To enter these corridors, you must trust the stairs and go down deep. The strange and mysterious world of the Persian Qanat brings the corridors of fear for you. The holes on the walls were once home to torch lamps and other lighting fixtures, and today they are falling asleep along the roots of the trees on the wall of the aqueduct. The color is black that looks very much here. The halls, which are only 40 percent available, are unclear what’s going on in 60 percent of the rest! The breeze that flow through the Qanat and the water sound that resonates with the uncovered mysteries of the aqueduct give us a new experience.
Perhaps the words to describe this amazing aquarium are low. The hallways dating back to 2,700 years old, and perhaps the reason why people say the construction of this aqueduct cannot be human work! Perhaps demons have come and made it here and gone!
The Mysteries of Qasabeh Qanat
Throughout Iran, wells and aqueducts have an important role in supplying the water needed by humans. But Qasabeh Qanat is much more intelligent than what you’ve ever seen. What’s in Gonabad is the clever appearance of the combination of wells and aqueducts, which are formed horizontally and vertically and preserved to this day. Two types of wells are dug in this amazing aqueduct. Some are shallow and vertical, and others are deep and steep.
Now imagine how in ancient times, with its limited and basic facilities, and with which calculations such accurate water flows from the depths of the earth to its surface? Perhaps there was a strange force in its makers! Maybe we’re a bit unfair and we’ve underestimated our human and intelligence!
This aqueduct is the most abundant aqueduct in the world, which feeds 150 liters per second.
Visiting Qasabeh Qanat is not just a visit to a Persian Qanat. The journey is a historic one that says its mysteries to you. In each part of the Qanat, intelligence can be seen that the Qanat makers create these corridors. Get good memories during to visit this aqueduct.
Reference: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1506