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Life & Architecture in the City of Yazd

 

Yazd is a historical city surrounded by a desert in central Iran. The history of this city goes back to 300 BC during the Median Empire. The current name of the city comes from it’s former ruler Yazdegerd I, who ruled Persia from 399 to 420 AD.

 

Courtyard of the traditional hotel, I was staying in
This is a typical Iranian style building where rooms are built around a central courtyard
Fish swimming in the central pool
A high arch with the benches is built on one side of the courtyard
An old styles of latches are used to secure the two sides of the door
Here is my supper which later turned out to be the dinner as well because after this, I left for Mashhad which was 14 hours bus journey
Plastic slippers on sale beside a road
Yazd is famous for it's confectionery products
Fresh vegetables and fruits being sold from the back of a truck
A vegetable shop in Yazd
Fresh tomatoes and berries were available in truckloads and I mean truckloads

 

This city was a hub of Zoroastrian religion until the arrival of Islam in 633-654 AD. Slowly, this city was absorbed by Islam like many others in Iran.

Due to the remote location of this city, it evaded many battles and destruction in the past. Yazd managed to flourish during the the Mongol Invasion in the 13th century because many of the artists moved here for safety. Yazd was visited by Marco Polo in 1272, who described it as a good and noble city and remarked its silk production. Yazd became the capital of the Muzaffarids in the 14th century but only lasted for few years.

This is the photo of the dome and a skylight in the middle
A large bowl made out of stone, sits in front of the water reservoir
Stairs leading to the water reservoir - this is where the fresh water was stored for the city
Inner walls of the water reservoir of Yazd
This skylight was built to allow light into the area
A typical street of Yazd
Mud walls offer better protection against the burning sun
This covered street was a blind alley and there was a house at the end of it
This street has only arches
The walls are high and they block sunshine

 

Yazd receives very little rain annually thus making it one of the hottest city in Iran. The geographical features of this region have made people developed special architectural styles. Yazd is known for having mud built houses and tower badgirs (wind catchers) due to the harsh climate of the area.

Yazd is known for having mud built houses and tower badgirs
This photo was taken from the roof of the hotel I was staying in - this dome shows the skylight at the top to allow natural into the building
A rooftop view in Yazd
A typical view of this beautiful city with badgirs
Mud built walls of Yazd
A house on a main road with it's wind catchers (badgirs) beside the external walls
These badgirs or wind catchers circulate air in the house through these chimneys
A closer look at a badgir
Most streets were quiet in the city
Here, two streets of Yazd meet together - note, the size of the mud walls

 

The towering badgirs of Yazd are a trademark of this beautiful city. In Yazd, sometimes streets are fully covered in order to protect from the hot summer sun. The city of Yazd has resisted the modern urbanisation changes and maintained its traditional structure.

An old carriage beside a street
There was something common between myself and the name of this bike
This car had seen better days
This yard was located at the back of a office where I went to book a ticket
A desolate looking building
This sign was above a small square with some ancient looking buildings
A small square close to the Alexander's Prison
Kids playing football beside the old buildings of Yazd
Yazd maintained it's traditional architecture and way of life over the centuries
An old wooden door with a padlock

 

Amidst the immense desert, Yazd retains its sterling of old in religion, traditions and architecture. It is said that in Yazd, one would always be a family person due to it’s low rate of divorce and family oriented culture. A visit to this city is one of the unique experience one needs to see and feel.

This iron door has two knockers which are used to distinguish between the family members and a guest coming to the door
A nakhl on display
A car parked beside a mud wall
Local men sitting beside a road and having a chat
A quiet square of the city - in the backgrouns, the minarets of the Jameh Mosue of Yazd can be seen
A street was named after one of the fallen Iranian during the Iran-Iraq War
A cloth shop in the centre of Yazd
This office was located at a main road and decided to purchase my bus ticket to go to Mashhad
A car park beside the mud brick buildings in the centre of Yazd
A large sofa is made to have lunch or dinner