Iranian Village Kandovan Inside Rocks

Kandovan ( pop. 680) is an extraordinary ancient village in the province of East Azarbaijan, near the city of Tabriz, Iran. With homes carved inside rocks, some of them 700 years old, the Kandovan village is said to have been partially formed by volcanic remains from a strong Mount Sahand eruptions hundreds of years ago. Kandovan is a wonderful example of manmade cliff dwelling which is still inhabited. 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.