A trip to the heart of the Hnameh caves; tranquility and beauty in the heart of the mountains / Shahr-e Shirvan

Hello to the hive friends. Hello to @worldmappin. I hope you are doing well and making the most of the summer days and weeks.

Today, I am sharing another one of my tourism and recreational programs.

●The Hangameh Caves in Shirvan County●

I had heard about the definition of these caves, which is why when I went to Shirvan, it was one of the programs of my trip.
When we arrived there, I asked some of the locals what the story of these caves is. They said that these places were dug by hand into the heart of the mountain a long time ago, maybe a thousand years ago. It has three levels, so that the ceiling of one becomes the floor of another. The bottom part is said to have been a place for keeping livestock, as the shape of the troughs is still visible. In the middle, there are smaller rooms with soot on the ceilings, and it is clear that people lived there and made fires. The upper level has larger rooms, which are said to have been storage for their food and tools. The locals said that these caves were a refuge during unsafe periods, like invasions or wars. They even showed me that at the foot of the mountain, there is a seasonal river that used to supply water for the people. They said these places were registered as a national heritage in the year 1386 in the Persian calendar, but its history goes back to the 4th and 5th centuries AH.
As they were describing, it could be felt that for the people of the village, these caves are not just a historical site, but a part of their memory and identity.

Let me briefly explain the route from the beginning. First, we had to get ourselves to the village of Hnameh, which is a few kilometers from Shirvan. From Shirvan, we set off, taking the road towards the northwest, passing by fields and orchards. The path was full of twists and turns, but the views were so beautiful that it was not boring at all. As we progressed, taller mountains appeared. When we reached the village itself, the weather was cool. We parked the car right there and started walking towards the mountain. The initial path was dirt and relatively flat, passing through orchards and small springs. The beginning of the path was good. Then gradually the slope became steeper, and we realized we had to do some serious hiking to reach the Hnameh caves. The photos I posted at the beginning were taken from a distance, and I told myself I had to go all the way to the top of the mountain. It was a bit breathless for me, but since I had heard so much praise, my excitement for going was not diminished.

As I was climbing up step by step, my breaths were getting faster, but the excitement didn't let me feel the fatigue. The higher I went, the clearer its shape and appearance became. Its stones were cool, even under the midday sun, and a smell of dampness and coolness was coming out from inside it. As I moved forward, it felt like the cave was gradually revealing itself to us, like a secret that is being uncovered. It was very interesting to me.

As I was walking along the narrow path beside the mountain wall, the sun was slowly going down and its golden light was falling on the rocks. The walls were like natural sculptures, full of holes and openings. With every step I took forward, the shadows grew longer and the color of the stones became warmer. A cool breeze was coming from the plain, bringing with it the smell of soil and dry plants. My excitement had doubled because I was only a few meters away from the first cave opening, and I could feel its cool darkness from right here.

When I entered the cave, a special feeling and deep calm filled my entire being. The cave was very cool, but the faint and gentle light shining from the mouth of the cave gave everything a magical atmosphere. When I reached the top and looked from the mouth, the view outside was truly breathtaking. The sun was gently setting behind the mountains in front, casting golden and orange colors over the plain and the surrounding trees, as if nature had turned into a living painting. That deep calm and the silence of the cave, alongside this magnificent view, created a magical combination that was hard to take my eyes off. When I took a photo from there, I really liked the output of the photo. The feeling that in the heart of darkness and silence, a window had opened to a bright and warm world. It was truly a moment that I wanted to definitely capture in my travels.

In this trip to the Hnameh mountains, I really felt a deep sense of peace and silence that I have rarely experienced in other places. The hand-carved caves, the sunset views behind the mountains, and the cool and pleasant air all together created a lasting memory for me.
I hope that I always have these good feelings and beautiful images with me and that I get the chance to visit these eye-catching landscapes again.
Thank you to all the friends who accompanied my travelogue in this beloved forum.
I love you all very much and until the next trip,
goodbye 😉😉.

Text & photography :@azamsohrabi