Noushabad Underground City

Despite its impressive scale, the ancient buried shelter was completely unknown until a decade ago, when an oblivious resident stumbled upon a tunnel while digging a sewage ditch in his home.

The construction of this man-made subterranean city dates back to the Sassanid Empire which ruled from 224 to 651. Inhabitants would dig underground chambers as hideout spots for women, children, and the elderly in the event of an attack by foreign invaders.