Qori Qala Cave

Iran, Iran

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Qori (Quri) Qala Cave, also known as Quri Qaleh, QuraQala, or Ghar‑e Ghori Ghaleh, is a massive water cave in the Shaho (Shahou) mountain range of Kermanshah Province, western Iran, located about 25 kilometers northwest of Ravansar and roughly 80–90 kilometers from Kermanshah on the road toward Paveh, near the village of Quri Qala. It is widely regarded as the longest and largest water cave in the Middle East and one of the longest caves in western Asia, with a total length of about 12 kilometers and a depth of around 3,140 meters, and it is situated about 3,000 meters above sea level on the steep slopes of Mount Shaho. The cave is about 65 million years old, formed in Jurassic–Cretaceous limestone, and is celebrated for its spectacular interior, including three main chambers, numerous calcite crystals, stalactites and stalagmites, and four deep underground waterfalls that give it a unique character compared to other caves. Inside, visitors can see named halls such as Maryam (Maria), Kuhan‑e Shotor (Camel Hump), Namaz, Barrokh, Bolur (Crystal), and Aroos (Bride), with many of these located at depths of 400–1,500 meters, and the cave maintains a cool, stable temperature of roughly 7–11°C year‑round with moderate humidity. Qori Qala Cave is also ecologically and historically significant: it shelters a colony of mouse‑eared bats and, more importantly, has yielded archaeological finds such as silver vessels, plates, bowls, and coins from the late Sassanian period (including artifacts linked to Yazdegerd III), indicating that it was used as a remote, safe place in ancient times.