Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Puglia Italy - Matera
Italy • 8 days, 7 nights
Southern Italy: Castles, Caves & Coastal Treasures in Puglia
from
Turkmenistan Gates of Hell Darvaza crater
Turkmenistan • 10 days, 9 nights
Turkmenistan & the Gates of Hell
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Parkway Bakery and Tavern has been slinging these sandwiches since 1929.
Parkway Bakery and Tavern
Front view of Lincoln’s Cottage.
President Lincoln’s Cottage
Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village
Parkside Plum Juice
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Parkway Bakery and Tavern has been slinging these sandwiches since 1929.
Parkway Bakery and Tavern
Parkside Plum Juice
Dishes at Aksorn are grounded in deep historical research.
Aksorn
Thailand’s hot, humid climate meant that customers wanted an alternative to hot tea.
ChaTraMue
Order a flight of infused ya dong shots.
Tep Bar
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
You could probably take some of that stuff out.
Dear Atlas: How Do I Pack Light for a Long Trip?
Ripples in the land are remnants of the field walls that once held rows of native sugarcane and sweet potatoes.
Unearthing the Mysteries of Hawai'i's Ancient Agriculture
Petrified Forest National Park.
Beware the Legends Behind These National Park Souvenirs
For Aguilar-Carrasco, nature is a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of all life.
How Can National Parks Be Made Accessible to All? AO Wants to Know.

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Iran Kandovan Troglodyte Village of Kandovan

Troglodyte Village of Kandovan

Modern-day cave dwellers carve elaborate homes out of volcanic debris.

Kandovan, Iran

Added By
Nick Jackson
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Troglodyte dwellings in Iran’s village of Kandovan.   http://www.flickr.com/photos/bastian/19790...
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/eliza_tasbihi...
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/eliza_tasbihi...
  http://www.flickr.com/photos/eliza_tasbihi...
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Tucked away in the remote northwest corner of Iran is a village where residents live as modern-day cave dwellers. Current residents of Kandovan, a tourist village in the province of East Azerbaijan, claim that their village is more than 700 years old. It was created, they say, when those fleeing the advancing Mongol army took to the caves to hide. The homes are known as "karan" in the local Turkic dialect, a word that roughly translates as the plural of beehive.

The Kandovan village has an unusual look that resembles a gigantic termite colony more than it does traditional caves. The structures were formed by ash and debris from Mount Sahand when the now-dormant volcano erupted sometime in the last 11,000 years. Over the course of thousands of years, the ash hardened and was carved out by the elements. In the surrounding region, the ash blanketed the land in a more traditional pattern.

Over the years, the people of the village have expanded their residences. Now, most cave dwellings range from two to four stories complete with living areas, a storage room and an animal shelter. Many have porches, windows, doors and stairwells carved into the rock.

The caves are some of the most energy efficient homes on Earth, with the rock providing adequate insulation to keep the interiors comfortable throughout the long cold season. The homes also remain cool in the summer.

Related Tags

Caves Geological Oddities Lost Tribes Eccentric Homes Outsider Architecture Ecosystems Geology Homes

Community Contributors

Added By

nbj914

Edited By

kostas1964ath

  • kostas1964ath

Published

July 21, 2010

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • Wikipedia: Kandovan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kandovan
  • Oddity Central: Kandovan - The Stone Village: http://www.odditycentral.com/travel/kandovan-the-stone-village.html
  • Heritage Institute: Troglodyte Village Photographic Tour: http://www.heritageinstitute.com/zoroastrianism/urmia/kandovan.htm
Troglodyte Village of Kandovan
Osku - Kandovan Rd
Kandovan
Iran
37.794435, 46.250258
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Grand Bazaar of Tabriz

Tabriz, Iran

miles away

Painted Mountains of Tabriz

Tabriz, Iran

miles away

Lake Urmia

East Azerbaijan Province, Iran

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Iran

Iran

Middle East

Places 52
Stories 16

Nearby Places

Grand Bazaar of Tabriz

Tabriz, Iran

miles away

Painted Mountains of Tabriz

Tabriz, Iran

miles away

Lake Urmia

East Azerbaijan Province, Iran

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Iran

Iran

Middle East

Places 52
Stories 16

Related Stories and Lists

Best of the Week

By Nick Jackson

Best of the Week

By Nick Jackson

Related Places

  • The aptly named Giant Rock.

    Landers, California

    Giant Rock

    A regular looking rock with an unbelievable history.

  • Quetzalcoatl’s Nest

    Naucalpan, Mexico

    El Nido de Quetzalcóatl

    An Aztec snake god has taken the material form of an apartment complex.

  • A roof for eternity.

    Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal

    The Village of Monsanto

    Houses are tucked between, on, and underneath giant boulders.

  • Pythagoras’ cave.

    Samos Prefecture, Greece

    Pythagoras Cave

    Cave on extinct volcano, once home to famous mathematician Pythagoras.

  • Hotel Sidi Driss

    Matmatat-Al-Qadimal, Tunisia

    Hotel Sidi Driss

    The original film set of Luke Skywalker's Tatooine home from the 'Star Wars' trilogy.

  • Pertosa Caves.

    Muraglione, Italy

    Pertosa Caves

    Ride a boat through this magnificent underground world, which now doubles as a theater.

  • Peñíscola, Spain

    Bufador de Peñiscola

    The blowhole bursts spectacularly right next to the buildings in a medieval seaside town.

  • Cueva Clara.

    Quebrada, Puerto Rico

    Cueva Clara

    An enchanting natural wonder in Puerto Rico's Camuy River Park.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.