Tourist charms of Yazd province

Yazd province, on the rims of Iran's Kavir desert, hosts a variety of tourist charms from beautiful desert nights and other natural beauties to ancient Iranian-Islamic architecture which fascinate the eyes of everyone. March 21 marks the start of Spring and the turn of the new Iranian year, and to celebrate the occassion we invite you to join us in an electronic tour of Iran with one province covered for you each day. Today: Yazd Province Yazd Province is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the Center of the country, and its administrative center is the city of Yazd. Other major cities and counties include: Maybod, Mehreez, Taft, Ardakan, Behabad, Khatam, Sadogh, Bafq and Tabas. The word Yazd means, feast and worship, The city of Yazd has resisted modern urbanization changes and maintained its traditional structure. The geographical features of this region have made people develop special architectural styles. For this reason, in the older part of the city most houses are built of mud-bricks and have domed roofs. These materials served as insulation preventing heat from passing through. Handicrafts and Souvenirs of Yazd Termeh or a type of woven cashmere, brocade and velvet weaving, a type of pile-less rug, blanket weaving, Jajeems (or a coarse kind of carpet), giveh making or (local foot ware), handkerchiefs, table cloths, bed-wrappers, felt making, earthenware, ceramics, glass ware, molded copper ware and other metals, tile and leather works. Yazd is also famous for its various sweets, the most well known are Pashmak, Baghlava and Ghotab Tourist attraction Peer Harisht Fire Temple This shrine is located at a distance of 15 km. in the Ardakan Road and is on the skirt of low lying mountains. Several rest houses and three water reservoirs have been built near this shrine. The Zoroastrians visit this region and stay there on (Farvardin 18th) or 7th April annually. Aqda Village Located near the Yazd - Esfahan Road and at the distance of 40 km. in the northwest of Ardakan, this village has the following historical edifices, Haj Abolqasem Rashti caravansary built in 1269 AH. with the structure resembling the Shah Abbasi Caravansary, Khajeh Nasir stockade built to protect the village dwellings. Saam Castle, Hamam-e- Noe built in 1055 AH., Hulakoo two-storey Mosque built in 1123 AH., Shams Mosque built in 1090 AH and the Jame' Mosque built in 8th century AH. Aqda Jame' Mosque, Aqda This mosque is located at a distance of 74 kilometers from Naein. It has a hot bath and a summer porch. Above the altar there is a star-like tile similar to those of 8th century AH. Mehrjerd Village Situated at a distance of 11 km in the south of Ardakan and 2 km to the west of Yazd - Ardakan road, It enjoys a temperate dry climate. Mehr Negar, Anushirvan's daughter founded this village, and its name was later changed to Mehrjerd. An old castle, Atiq school, Imamzadeh Khadijeh Khatoon , and the Jame' mosque built in 778 AH are historical attractions of the village. Narenj (Narin) Castle This building, which in colloquial language is called Narenj Castle, is one of the most important relics of the province dating back to the period before the advent of Islam to Iran, and has been recorded as one of the national buildings. This ancient castle has been constructed on the top of Galeen hill and overlooks the city. It seems that upper floors of the building have been reconstructed and belong to the Islamic era. A section of the building was destroyed in the course of road construction during the reign of the former Pahlavi regime. Tamehr Spring This spring is located 6 kilometers south of Taft, and in summer many visitors from Yazd and Taft and many other passengers visit this place. The only outstanding feature of this place is the river which flows from spring until autumn in this region. Chak Chakoo Fire Temple It is a place located amongst the mountains of Ardakan and Anjireh (on the way to Tabas) which is at a distance of 46 kilometers from Yazd. Chak Chakoo has its name for the water dripping from the stone-cut mountains. This vicinity has suitable accommodation for pilgrims. Ice-Pits Ancient icehouses are very interesting samples of old urban structures in Iran, which were constructed to store ice. Icehouses consist of four basic parts as follows: the Ice house, dome, main wall and a little pool. In Yazd province, during the winter when there was sufficient water, it was led to the little pools. During the night due to low temperatures the water of these pools used to freeze. A tall wall surrounded the pool that prevented sunlight from getting to the ice and created a condition for ice-layers to thicken gradually at nights. Then the ice was broken and transferred to the icehouse underground where it was stored in summer. Old City Sectors Massive research has been done on the architecture, specially in connection with dry and hot climates of the world. In addition to the special attraction and beauty of this architecture, it is in keeping with the climatic-cultural needs and life-style of the people. A clear example of this architecture is Fahadan Bayuzdaran locality. Usually in each locality there is a bath, a small and roofed market-place (Bazaar), and underground water reservoir, a mosque, a place where the martyrdom of Imam Hossein is mourned for (a theater of passion-plays), dregs, small workshops, and a brook. These features revealed the activities and life style of the residents of each quarter or locality. For example most of the coppersmiths settled down in Posht-e-Baq quarter and bricklayers (builders) used to live in Tal quarter and Khorram Shah quarters etc. Among other important localities of Yazd are: Sar Jam'h, Yaqoobi, Sar-e-do Rah, Bajevardi, Mir Qotb, Meidan Shah, Chahar Manar , Do Menar and Shesh Badgir Quarters. Varharam (Bahram) This monument which is listed as one of the Yazd's architectural works has been built by Yazd's Zoroastrian and Indian Parsis under Mr. Arbab Jamshid's supervision and Guardianship, in 1934. The main building is amidst a large courtyard and on a height. The fire is located in a container higher than the ground level in a relatively large room protected from sunshine. This is surrounded by other chambers for worship. This Fire temple is in the fire temple lane Ayatollah Kashani Street. Water Reservoirs Wind Trappers (Ventilation hafts) The natural and climatic characteristics in addition to the expanse of Yazd's deserts have given rise to the construction of various reservoirs all over the province. At present the number of these reservoirs are about 100. Most of which have been built at the center of the localities of the cities and include four main elements such as: Khazineh or hot bath, dome, the foot or faucet and a wind trapper. The reservoirs of the bath have been designed in the form of cylinder inside the ground in order to give a vantage point to the water of subterranean canal and also to keep the water temperature low. The dome was built in a semi-circular shape over the reservoir in order to prevent water from environmental pollution and keeps it cool. The foot of faucet has got a stair-like corridor or passageway for taking water from the reservoir and the wind trapper was a means of air circulation in order to prevent the water rotting or becoming putrid. Important water reservoirs of Yazd province are: Seyed Va Sahra, Shesh Badgir, Masoudi, Hadji Ali Akbari, Khajeh, Golshan, Rostam, Geev, Kolah doozha (hat makers), Malekotojar and Mirza Shafi' reservoirs in Yazd, Hassan Abad reservoir in Maybod, Jaddeh Deh Balla and Barelnasuyeh Reservoirs in Taft and Kesht Khan reservoir in Rastaq. Desert Attractions One of the distinctive features of the cities of Yazd province which discriminate it from other cities, is the existence of various wind trappers. Most of them belong to old residential houses. On the other hand, majority of urban reservoirs and mosques also have wind trapper. In other words the same are considered as respiratory tracts of the city. They are towers that, in respect to the special form of building, direct the natural air current to different sections of the building. Regardless of its utility, these constructions used to represent the owner's distinction and social standing. It could be judged by the height and adornments of these wind trappers. Protected Wildlife Zones The geographical and natural settings of Yazd have made it one of the most divergent wildlife areas. The Kalmand and Bahadoran protected zones, extending over an area of 25,000 hectares, Kooh Bafq, and Ariz, being100,000 hectares, located near the desert, are examples of diverse herbaceous and animal varieties. The unique herbal and ecological characteristics of Kalmand and Bahadoran accommodate the procreation of various beasts and birds, bustard, deer (Iranian gazelle), and Jeibir are some of the protected wild animals and birds. Moreover, the followings are the animal varieties inhabiting this areas: foxes, wolves, rabbit, tiger, hyena, goat, wild goat, and the Iranian gazelle, ram, ewe, and Jeibir inhabit the red hills zone near the Laqarah River. This area has not just desert creepers, such as tortoise, poisonous snakes, lizard, viper and green vipers, but also birds such as partridge, dull-yellow grouse, jay and types of eagle, exist here as well. Dowlat Abad Garden This garden has an aggregate of different buildings which were designed and constructed during the time of Mohammad Taqi Khan in the Zandieh era. It was the residence of Khan and his government and officials. The wind trapper of this garden is 33 meters high and is considered an architectural masterpiece and a symbol of the Yazdi architects' genius, mental ability, talent and art. The most significant characteristics of the design of this building is believed to be the attempt of the architect in selecting tactful angles for providing the best views and landscape internally. The Dowlat Abad garden is regarded as one of the sites worth visiting due to verdant gardening skill in landscape architecture, irrigation method, and in the richness of architectural design. It is for this reason that the same has been recorded as a historic building. Qasr-e-Ayeneh (Mirror Palace) Museum The building of Mirror Place museum has a foundation of 837 square meters and is located in a garden 8,174 square meters in area. In this museum, calligraphic collections, guns, coins, books, stamps, locks, a bridle (of the second millennium BC.), samples of Lorestan's bronze, endowed works of the deceased Seyed Hossein Heidari (a Yazdi collector) and some other articles are displayed. This museum is located in Kashani Yazdi Street opposite Yazd's Haft-e-Tir Park.