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is one of the oldest towns in the world. The historical city of Yazd is located in central Iran on the
fringes of the bewitching central desert of IRAN. Amidst the immense desert,
Yazd retains its sterling of old in religion, traditions and architecture.
Recognized by Unesco as holding the second oldest architecture all over the
world, Yazd is still a peaceful oasis in the midst of the turmoiled world.
The word Yazd means, feast and worship, The city of Yazd has resisted the modern
urbasisation changes and maintained its traditional structure. Yazd city
probably dates from the Sassanian period. The geographical features of this
region have made people developed 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. The existence of special ventilation structures, called badgirs, on the
roofs is a distinctive feature of the architecture of this city. (A badgir is a
high structure on the roof under which, in the interior of the building, there
is a small pool.)
Water Storage (Ab-anbar) with six wind towers - Yazd
The construction material of Yazd homes are mostly equipped with air holes to help ventilate the air in summers. Therefore, Yazd has presented its stable identity at the foothills of the 4000 meter Shir Kooh.
Yazd is one of Iran's industrial centers for textiles. There is a considerable ceramics and construction materials industry and a unique confectionaries and Jewelry industry. There are a number of other industries that are employing a notable portion of the population including agriculture, dairy, animal products, metal works and machines manufacturing.
The Jewelry designs and products of Yazd are the most important
and most sought after in Iran. Yazd continues to produce its traditional forms,
and every year boasts new designs that to a high degree influence the jewelry
and fashion markets of Iran. Unfortunately Yazd's jewelry designs are made in
close replicas, but to an expert and trained eye the superior workmanship of an
original Yazd jewelry can be traced and verified back to the workshop, date of
manufacture and often to the artisan. In addition Yazd's jewelry is always made
with 20-carat gold. Yazd jewelry and its historic jewelry market: Bazaar Zargari,
attract shoppers from across the middle east.
About Atashkadeh in Yazd province
The most important Zoroastrian fire temple, Atashkadeh (located on a hill in a
small garden on the east side of Ayatollah Kashani St.) is open to the public
from 08:00 to 11:00 am and 02:30 to 04:30 Pm Saturday to Thursday, expect
holidays.
There is no entrance fee, but donations are welcomed. It is surrounded by
evergreen trees and a large round pool in the courtyard which gives a clear
reflection of the temple for artistic photography.
The sacred flame behind a glass visible from the small museum inside has,
according to the Zoroastrian elder in attendance here, been burning since about
470 AD and was transferred from its original site in 1940.
This attracts Zoroastrians from around the world, and there will probably be
someone who speaks English to explain things to you.
There are also a couple of paintings here, including one of Zoroastrian,
Architecturally, there are certain similarities between this fire-temple and
those of Iranian Zoroastrians.
There are plenty of other Zoroastrian sites such as Qoleh Asadan (the Fortress
of Lions) in the far northeast of Yazd, and the most important one, Chak Chak
(see below), 52 km to the north.
The sacred flame apparently been burning for tha last 3000
years, (transferred from its original site in 1940).
About Tower of Silence in Yazd province
Dakhmeh or Ghala'iye- Khamushan (towers of Silence):
These are three impressive buildings remaining from several other structures on
hilltops outside and in the immediate vicinity of Yazd (about 15 km to the
south-west) where the bodies of the dead Zoroastrians would be brought to the
foot of the tower so that a ritual ceremony could be held in presence of the
relatives and friends of the deceased.
The body was then carried by the priests into the tower where it was laid on the
flat stones on the ground –thus avoiding that earth, water, and fire, the divine
elements be contaminated, the soul of the defunct person having already been by
Ahura Mazda.
In a short time the body would be torn apart by the passing vultures and crows.
The bones were then thrown into a circular pit in the center of the tower. At
the foot of the towers stand the remains of the buildings, which once served for
the funerary ceremonies.
When the towers were still used for Zoroastrian burials, only the priests were
allowed into them. Nowadays, however, some of them have been opened to the
public.
Beneath the hill there are several other disused Zoroastrian buildings including
a defunct well, two small bad-girs, a kitchen and a lavatory.
The custom of exposing corpses in a tower of silence largely disappeared
throughout the Zoroastrian world around 50 years ago, at about the same time
that the eternal flame was transferred to the newly constructed Atashkadeh in
the center of Yazd.
As a matter of fact, the towers were used until 1987, after which all
Zoroastrian dead were buried in the cemetery at the foot of the towers. The site
can be reached only by taxi or private car.
These "Towers of Silence" overlook an impressive desert and
mountain landscape where the last worshippers of the Ahura Mazda faith dwell.
Zoroastrian Chak Chak shrine
