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The Ashabi Kahf Cave

Ashabi-Kahf is a sanctuary in a natural cave which is located in the eastern part of the city of Nakhchivan, in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan. Since ancient times Ashabi-Kahf is considered as a sacred place. It is known not only in the Republic, but also in other regions of Azerbaijan and countries of the Middle East. Each year tens of thousands of people make a pilgrimage to this place.  This holy cave complex is claimed to be the one from an episode in the Koran known as the ‘Seven Sleepers’, in which seven youths suffering from the oppressive regime of a despotic local ruler named Dagh Yunus flee to a cave with a dog and fall asleep only to wake to a different world 309 years later. Today the complex, complete with mosque and shrines accessed via a network of stairs, is a popular pilgrimage site for local Azerbaijanis who come to make wishes and say prayers. The site is located about 12 kilometres east of Nakhchivan City and off the main road to Julfa.