Dilijan Limestone Cave is 70 million years old

Chal Nakhjir Cave is one of the limestone and living caves in the world and with an age equal to 70 million years, it is considered one of the scenic areas and tourist attractions of Dilijan. According to IRNA, Nakhjir Cave is on the way from Dilijan to Naraq, in Chal Nakhjir area and at the foot of Takht Mountain. It is located and was discovered in 1367 as a result of an explosion near its mouth.

This cave is called this because it is located in an area called “Nakhjir” in the north-east of Dilijan city, and Chal-Nakhjir is a hollow area where hunters used to send animals to this area to hunt more easily.

Chal Nakhjir Cave is one of the layered caves that consists of three floors and 95% of the cave walls are covered with limestone sediments and the rest are covered with stone. The main opening of Nakhjir Cave is between 10 and 40 meters high and 10 meters wide.

There are shapes inside the cave that are the result of sedimentary and dolomite phenomena, which made this cave to be considered one of the most beautiful caves in the world.

Nakhjir Cave consists of a main branch and several sub-branches, approximately 4 km of which have been discovered by local people and expert cavers, and its depth is estimated to be around 8 to 10 km.

There are very beautiful corridors, corridors, atriums, ponds and terraces inside the cave.

Also, “calcite” crystal prisms have been formed in this cave due to natural factors, and the reflection of light from these prisms has multiplied the beauty of the cave.

Among the beautiful and spectacular effects of this cave, we can mention crystalline sponges, prisms, cleist and coral gardens (which have been formed over the years), corridors and various ponds.

Beautiful and decorative stones in the shape of humans, deer, eagles, turtles, pigeons and huge crystal statues have been created in Chalnakhjir Cave, and most of these stones are made of limestone.

Another unique feature of the cave is that it is alive, that is, if a part of the cave is destroyed or cracked, it will be restored over many years.

The presence of natural air ventilation inside the cave makes the cave cool in summer and warm in winter. Also, there is no problem of lack of oxygen in this cave. Visitors will never experience a lack of oxygen in it.

This cave has a special importance in attracting tourists due to the presence of pristine natural landscapes and many amazing attractions.

The General Director of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Central Province announced that 21,540 people visited Nakhjir Cave in Dilijan this year.

Referring to the unprecedented increase in the number of visitors to Nakhjir Cave during Nowruz this year, Mustafa Marzban said: After 2 years of closure of Nakhjir Cave, Nakhjir Cave was prepared for tourists to visit from Nowruz this year, and about 1,700 visitors visited the cave daily. .

The Director General of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Central Province emphasized that Nakhjir Cave is one of the tourist attractions of Central Province in Dilijan city and added: Nakhjir tourist cave has between 14 and 20 thousand visitors annually and in 2018 and before the outbreak of Corona virus, 25 thousand people visited the cave and in fact the number of visits to the cave has always been variable.

The head of the management and planning organization of the central province announced the necessity of providing the necessary infrastructure for the proper scientific exploitation of the Nakhjir cave.

“Noorbakhsh Asgari” mentioned this project in the tourism working group and allocation of necessary funds for the development of this tourist attraction in the central province as one of the steps to be taken by the high management of the province.

The deputy of tourism of the General Department of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Central Province said: Limestone cave belongs to the third period of geology and was registered in the list of national monuments of Iran in 2004 by the Cultural Heritage Organization with number 13814.

“Hassan Hosseini” added: This cave was given to the private sector operator for one year through a public auction.

He reminded: The natural cave of Nakhjir is 70 million years old, and in 2003, the infrastructure and the construction of roads and lighting began, and it was put into use in 2009.

Pointing out that the cave has three floors, Hosseini said: The bottom floor, which is actually the lake of the cave, cannot be accessed, but the other two floors are open to the public with the preparation and construction of footpaths and flooring for a length of 1,200 meters.

The city of Dilijan is one of the provinces of the central province with a population of 50,000. It is located on the main road between the southern and eastern provinces and the northern and central provinces.