Qanat of Baladeh, Ferdows

🕰️When was it built?

The exact date it was first dug is not clear, but the system is traced back to before Islam and the Sasanian era. Naser Khosrow also mentions the kariz of Baladeh in his travelogue. In 2016 it was inscribed as World Heritage, together with several other qanats, as part of the Persian Qanat.

🏛️What was it built for?

Water from several qanat branches and springs gathers in one main channel called the Shahjui and reaches the orchards and farmland. Baladeh is not only about digging underground; dividing and guiding the water along the open channel is part of the system too, and it is bound up with the life of Baghestan.

👀What you will see

• The main channel, or Shahjui, carries the water gathered from the different branches along an open course towards the farmland.
• The trees along parts of the channel shape its scenery; to see them, use the permitted path beside the water.
• In the Baghestan area, water channels can be seen beside the roads and orchards, showing how the water system links with the farmland.

💡Something interesting

To stop water soaking into the ground and being lost, clay was added to the flow so that it sealed the pores of the channel. The person who did this was called a tirehgar, so muddy water in this method was part of the craft of saving water.

🎒Good to know before you go

• Don't damage the old trees beside the Shahjui, and don't step on their exposed roots.