The ‘cliff’ village has the most terrifying but livable appearance in the world

The ancient village of Kandovan is located in the northwest of Iran, 60km southwest of Tabriz city. It is known as one of the strangest villages in the world.

To explain their name Kandovan, locals believe that this name is of Persian origin. “Kanto” means honeycomb due to the special shape of the houses here, they are arranged close together like a giant beehive that nature has given to this village.

Due to many factors such as: after the eruption of the Sahand volcano (currently this volcano is in hibernation), rain, sun, wind, etc., causing the fragments, ash and volcanic lava to harden together. into small caves that people can live in. And later, the people nearby turned this place into their home with a cone-shaped roof of accumulated stone.

According to legend, the first inhabitants came to live in those rock spires to hide from the Mongol invaders. They dig up volcanic rock blocks day and night to make a hiding place. Therefore, this residential area looks like a termite nest in nature, but the special feature is that it is made up of ancient volcanic ash layers, which have been compressed and compressed over thousands of years. However, according to archaeologists, this place is considered to be the beginning of the pre-Islamic period.

With a combination of nature and skillful human hands, the village was built on the slopes of the Soltan Daghi and Sabalan mountains. Geographical studies have proven that the age of the cliffs in this village ranges from 700 to 1,500 years old.

With a series of houses close together shaped like corn cobs, the village of Kandovan gives people the feeling of being in some distant fairyland. Entirely hand-carved houses on hard volcanic outcrops have resonated the world over and been inscribed on Iran’s National Heritage list, enthralling countless visitors with their unique architecture. unique.

The houses here usually have from 2 to 4 floors, each floor has windows with decorative glass. The ground floor is for animals, the first and second floors are living spaces, and the top floor can be used as a place of worship or to store unnecessary items. Unlike typical country houses, food here is stored in the highest places to avoid moisture.

Another interesting thing about these Karans is that there are no stairs inside the house, so if one wants to go to a higher floor, one has to use the outdoor stairs. The houses in Kandovan are built on a slope of 70 degrees so it is easy to see stone or wooden steps throughout the village.

Besides, to ensure that the inside of the house has enough light and good ventilation, people have carved small squares and covered them with colorful glass panels that act as windows.

Although the climate is characterized by long and cold winters, the people here can adapt very well. The reason is that the houses they build are very cool in the summer and warm in the winter, so it is no exaggeration to say that these are the most energy efficient houses in the world.

Residents here mostly live on agriculture, beekeeping or cattle. Thanks to the suitable weather and rich vegetation at the foot of the Sabalan and Sahand mountains, the honey here is considered to be of perfect quality.

Don’t think that life here is very difficult, because they have all the amenities like in any other part of the world: workspaces, shops, schools, public baths, factories and even is the church built on the biggest cliff here.

Although there are two other cliff villages with similar structure in the world, Cappadocia in Turkey and Manitou Cliff Dwellings in the US, Kandovan is still the most special village. Unlike the other two villages, Kandova and the only cliff village in the world are inhabited, and the population here is 670.

Recently, the population has increased and more conventional houses have been built in the southern area, but the historic cliffs still paint a beautiful picture of the horizon.

The unique architecture is not the only attraction of this place. Due to geological features, there are a number of natural hot springs that have formed, with low mineral pollution rate and the ability to treat diseases.

In addition, visitors can also take long walks through the lush valley and enjoy the pleasant weather, chat with friendly residents, and enjoy panoramic views of the splendid sunset while enjoying great honey dishes and delicious fresh fruit. All of the above has made Kandovan one of the most visited tourist destinations in Northwest Iran.

According to Minh Tuan