Benoo Cave

In the Sahra-ye Bagh district of Larestan, there is an ancient cave full of wonders, with natural, historical and geographical attractions. Known as Benoo, the cave contains inscriptions in Sanskrit and chahartaqis (four-arched structures) dating from the Sassanid era. It covers an area of nearly 3,000 square metres and rises about 50 metres, set in the heart of Gavbast Mountain, part of the southern Zagros range. There are different views about the origin of the cave's name. Some believe its original name was Dad Bonyad, meaning a place for seeking justice, while others call it Benoo, which in the local dialect is almost the same as Dad Bonyad.

The remains found at the site show that, centuries before the arrival of Islam, the cave was home to tribes who, after Islam arrived, migrated to other regions outside Iran. The cave is important not only historically but also for its natural features.

Inside the cave, its early inhabitants built more than 24 basins to collect the water that drips continuously from the ceiling. Today about 15 of these basins remain intact, and the nomads living in the area still use the collected water. Along the cave walls there are 12 water basins measuring roughly 3 × 3.5 metres, and along the southern side there are 7 basins measuring 4 × 5 metres. On the western side, four staircases have been built with a rise of 30 centimetres.