Ali Sadr Cave
The only lagoon cave in Iran that is one of the world's largest and longest water caves related to the Jurassic period (the Second geological period) is Ali Sadr Cave. It originally called Ali Saad (meaning dam) or Ali Saard (meaning cold) is a cave located in the Zagros Mountains about 100 kilometers north of Hamadan, western Iran. The cave walls can extend up to 40 meters high, and it contains several large, deep lakes. The cave has a river flowing through it and most travel through the cave system is done with a boat.
History
This amazing cave is one of the Iran's pond caves and one of the rarest types of caves in the world. It is also the world's biggest and longest water caves that exists. The cave was originally discovered during the reign of Darius I (521-485 BC) which can be verified by an old inscription at the entrance of the tunnel. According to geologists, the stones of this mountain belong to the second geologic period, i.e. Jurassic Era (190 million years ago).
The entrance parts of the cave were used by people in Safavid era. Evidence from the Ali Sadr Cave indicates that this cave has been used as shelter by primitive people. Residents of Ali Sadr and other nearby villages knew this and used this cave as a dam and water reservoir. This cave was open to people in 1975. Extraordinary natural patterns such as Statue of Liberty and name of Allah have been carved on the limestone walls of the cave.
Description
Hamadan climbers team with 14 members visited the cave and explored it in 1963. Until 1973, only professional mountain climbers were able to enter the cave because the cave's opening was just 50 centimetres. They used simple device such as flashlights and rubber tube to navigate. The news of expedition was published in local newspapers in 1967. After the publication of the news, investigators, climbers and naturalists rushed to the site.
The creation of the cave is the result of the nature which acted like a professional sculptor, a masterpiece with millions of year’s efforts. What makes this cave stand out among others is the easy usage of water channels, they are so vast that normal boats could move through them. During your 2-kilometer guided boat ride, you’ll see the forest of rocky columns, dragon’s claws, rocky waterfall, eagle’s claw, cresset hall, and Persepolis as it resembles famous ancient site in Shiraz.
Facts about Ali Sadr Cave
According to the geology science, it is a natural and alive cave and changing as long as the sound of water drops in the cave is heard, and as long as the cracks in the cave wall are covered with lime layers, these changes don’t happen in a short period of time. The interior view of the cave is very innovative and its weather is cool in summer and warm and pleasant in winter.
This largest water cave consists of many corridors and halls and the large lake in the middle of it connects a large part of the cave, therefore, it is necessary to use the boat to reach its various parts; the point that made Alisadr the world's largest canoeing cave.