Yazd Province in Iran
About Yazd Province
Yazd Province is another of the 31 provinces of Iran. It is in the hub of Iran country, and its administrative center is the city of Yazd. The province has been divided into ten counties: Abarkuh, Ardakan, Bafq, Behabad, Khatam, Mehriz, Meybod, Ashkezar, Taft, and Yazd County. The city of Yazd is the economic and administrative capital of the province and therefore the most heavily populated.
Yazd province is situated at an oasis where the Dasht-e Kavir desert and the Dasht-e Lut desert meet. The city itself is sometimes called “the bride of the Kavir” because of its location, in a valley between Shir Kuh, the tallest mountain in the region at 4,075 meters above sea level, and Kharaneq. The city proper is located 1,203 meters above sea level.
The Land of Air Ducts
Yazd Province is located in the center of Iran. Since Yazd is far from the sea and the humidity is low, the province has long hot summers and cold winters. It has poor vegetation and the only places with rich lawns are the foothills of Shirkuh Mountain. Kalmandan and Bahadoran are two nature reserves of the province that are the habitats to different species of animals like Iranian gazelles, rams, ibexes, mountain goats, leopards, hyenas, foxes, wolves, and birds like grouses, eagles, magpies, partridges, and bustard. The desert province enjoys favorable weather conditions only for half of the year, but the attractions of the desert-like clear sunny sky, starry nights, absolute silence, and alluring mirages have turned this province into a place of interest for tourists.
The adherents of the three religions of Islam, Judaism, and Zartoshti (Zoroastrianism) have peaceful coexistence in Yazd. The most important ceremonies of Zoroastrianism include Mahaneh, Fasli, Noruz-e Jamshidi, Sadeh, etc. The major famous Jewish festival is the Pesach or Passover. The important handicrafts of the province include velvet weaving, Termeh weaving, coarse blanket weaving, straw mat weaving, blanket weaving, etc. y and weaving, blanket weaving, etc. The old city of Yazd as the biggest alive mudbrick city in the world was registered as a world heritage site in 2017.
Friday Mosque of Yazd
This Mosque was founded in the twelfth century, the current structure dates to several building phases during the fourteenth century with significant addition during the fifteenth, and eighteenth or nineteenth centuries. The high barrel-vaulted iwan leads to an expansive domed sanctuary. Large rectangular winter prayer halls flank the sanctuary and Iwan, a layout that resembles the Sasanian triple-Iwan plan. The mosque is also significant for the early and substantial use of transverse vaulting in the rectangular winter prayer halls, a system that also has precedents in Sasanian structures.
In the northwest prayer hall, the system is perfected, with narrow supporting arches and wide vaults pierced with fenestrated octagonal cupolas. The tile decoration is also noteworthy, although much is restoration. The dome is articulated with geometric decorative brickwork in turquoise and white on an unglazed buff field. Decorative brickwork laid in epigrams covers most wall surfaces within the sanctuary, above a turquoise tile dado with mosaic medallions that continues into the Iwan. The Mihrab is sheathed with naturalistic vegetal designs rendered in remarkable faience mosaic. The winter prayer halls are painted white, contrasting with the vibrant multi-colored sanctuary.
Yazd Air-ducts
One of the characteristics of architecture in the city of Yazd is designing houses with air ducts. The air ducts are made of bricks, plaster, and wood. They are made in houses for ventilating.
Dolat- Abad Garden
This garden which is one of the famous gardens of the Zand dynasty contains different buildings which were the settlement palaces of the rulers at the time. The Dolat Abad aqueduct supplies water to this garden. There are different kinds of trees like pines, grapes, pomegranate, etc. This is an interesting site to visit for its architecture, setting, and watering system.
Narenj Ghaleh Castle
Also called Narin Ghaleh, the castle is located on top of the Galin hill facing the city of Meybod. It is a five-story pre-Islamic castle made of mud and clay.
Zeyn Od-Din caravanserai
This caravanserai is located on the road of Yazd to Kerman at a 60 KM distance from Yazd city. This structure has been built t the same time as the Ganj Ali Khan bathhouse in Kerman. This is a round brick structure with five towers.
Amir Chakhmagh Mosque
The mosque which is one of the Timurid era structures was built at the order of Amir Jalal Ad-Din Chakhmagh, the ruler of Yazd in the 13th century CE.
Historical Attractions:
Ancient and important historical attractions in Yazd province include: Sageneh and Khargushi inns, caravanserais of Hose- Jafar, Valeh- Abad, and old houses are in the city of Ardakan. Ali-Abad caravanserai, old water storages, old castles of Eslamiyeh, Shavaz, and the old garden of Golshan are in the city of Taft. Great tower (Minaret) of Golshan, old citadel and mausoleum of Sepah Salar in the city of Tabass, castles of Khormirz and Saryazd in Mehreez. Water storage of Hassan Abad, castles of Barjin, Rokn Abad, and Narin are in Meybod. Old houses of Lary-Ha, Arabs, Rasolian, Hatters, Malek al-Tojjar, and Asadi, old water storages of Seyed, Sahra, six air vent holes (six Badgir), Khajeh, Golshan, and Rostam, old schools of Khan, Zia’ieyeh, Abolmo’ali, Domana, and Abdul-Rahim Khan, castles of Ibrahim Abad, Zarach and Aez Abad in Yazd.
Religious Attractions:
The most important religious attractions in Yazd Province are the old mosques of Zirdeh, Haji Rajab, Zardak, Muhammad Hossein, Kharanegh, and the Jame’ Mosque in Ardakan. Old mosques of Shodeh, Islamiyah, Bida Khoyed, Tarazjan, Khaneghah (monastery) of Taft. The holy shrine of Tabas, the Jame’ Mosque, and Mehr Padin Mosque in Mehreez, holy shrines of Khadijeh Khatun in Meybod. The Jame’ Mosque, Mir Chomagh Mollah Isma’il, Zaviyeh, Sabat, Four Minaret (Mennar), Mausoleum, of Abu Jafar, Seyed Khalil, twelve Imams, Shah Reza, Seyed Gol Sorkh, Rokn Ad-Din, Shams Ad-Din, and holy Zoroastrian sites in the city of Yazd.
Natural Attraction:
The Most Amazing and beautiful natural attractions in Yazd Province are: Caves of Hamaneh, Ashkoft, and Abolghasem Rashti are in Ardakan. The caves of Frashah and B’ad Maesom are in Taft. Natural spring of Gharbalbiz, Gardens of Golkar, Akrami and Sarasiab are in Mehreez. Meybod old Glacier, Gardens of Dowlat Abad, Khan, Kolah Farangi, and Moshir are in Yazd.