Zarch Qanat: Longest aqueduct of Iran

UNESCO World Heritage Site of Zarch Qanat in Iran’s Yazd Province is widely known as the world’s longest underground aqueduct as it is some 80 km long.

The qanat runs at the depth of 30-40 m beneath the surface. It reaches Zarch, where the water is used for irrigation in the lower lands.

Each qanat is usually made of an almost horizontal tunnel for collecting water from an underground water source.  The UNESCO World Heritage list has inscribed a total of eleven qanats under the title of Persian Qanat.

“The qanats provide exceptional testimony to cultural traditions and civilizations in desert areas with an arid climate,” according to UNESCO.

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