Yazd

Yazd, Iran

A view of Yazd windcatchers from a low angle in a narrow alley at sunrise

A desert city of windcatchers, underground water channels and fire temples, best seen in spring or autumn before summer heat sets in.

The place

Yazd sits on the edge of the central Iranian desert, roughly midway between Isfahan and Kerman, and its population is about half a million. Its older quarter is built from mud brick and earth plaster, so the skyline is a field of domes and tall, open-sided windcatchers. These towers, known as badgirs, draw air down into houses and courtyards, and they explain the city's nickname, the City of Windcatchers. The old fabric is a long answer to the desert: narrow lanes shaded by high walls, thick-walled houses that stay cool through the day, and cisterns and underground channels that carried water into the city long before piped supply. Yazd has also been a centre of Zoroastrian life for centuries, and its fire temples are still in use. Its craft traditions are strong too, with handwoven termeh cloth, silk weaving, pottery and traditional sweets. The old quarter is compact and mostly walkable. The summer heat is the real challenge, as afternoons regularly pass 40 °C (104 °F) with little humidity, and the nights stay uncomfortably warm. Spring and autumn suit a visit best. Since 2017 the historic city has been recognised by UNESCO, and many old merchant houses have been converted into guesthouses, which makes staying overnight part of the experience.

Its story

The area around Yazd has been settled for a very long time. Archaeological finds a short distance north of the city point to occupation in the Achaemenid period, when the Persian empire stretched across much of the ancient Near East. The Roman writer Pliny the Elder mentions a town called Issatis, and some scholars think its name is linked to the word from which Yazd may have come. The city rose to real importance under the Sasanians, the last great Persian dynasty before the Arab conquest. A mint was set up here, a sign that the place mattered to the royal administration. Later chroniclers credit a Sasanian king with refounding the town, and they connect the name to a word meaning God, which suits a place where Zoroastrianism endured for centuries after the Muslim conquest. Zoroastrians moved in from neighbouring provinces, and by paying a levy they were allowed to keep their faith. Islam became the dominant religion only gradually. The city's remote setting spared it from many of the wars that struck the region. When the Mongol invasions devastated other cities, Yazd became a refuge for people fleeing the destruction, and its desert location kept it out of the main lines of conflict.

What to see

Culture

Yazd is a city where several faith traditions have lived side by side for centuries. Zoroastrians, whose fire temples still burn in the old quarter, have kept their rites through long periods of change, while the Islamic calendar shapes the weekly rhythm of the city. Public life moves at a gentler pace than in Tehran. Many shops and bazaars open in the morning, slow down through the hottest hours of the day, and reopen in the evening. The city takes pride in its handicrafts: weavers still work termeh cloth, and sweets, pottery and woodwork form long traditions. Bicycles are common, a legacy of contact with European visitors in the nineteenth century, and riders weave through the lanes of the old town. Conversation tends to be warm and direct, and visitors are often asked where they come from. Hospitality matters, so accepting a cup of tea is a gracious gesture. Keep public displays of affection low-key. When you enter a mosque or a fire temple, remove your shoes where asked, speak quietly, and ask before photographing anyone.

What to wear

Yazd's traditional dress has long been shaped by the desert and by religious custom. Women have worn the chador, a full-length cloak, as well as the simpler roosari headscarf with a long coat known as the manteau, which remains common. Men traditionally wore loose trousers with long shirts and a waistcoat, and some older men still dress this way. The city is especially known for termeh, a handwoven cloth of silk and wool or cotton, with geometric and floral patterns in deep colours. It has been used for ceremonial garments, shawls and cushion covers, and some workshops still weave it on traditional looms. Everyday dress in Yazd today is much like urban dress across Iran: women usually wear a manteau with trousers and a headscarf, often in bright colours, and men wear shirts and trousers. Western-style clothing is also seen, especially among younger people. For a visitor, modesty is the key. Loose, long-sleeved tops and trousers or skirts below the knee suit both the heat and the religious sites. A headscarf is required in mosques and advisable in public, covering the hair. Sturdy, flat, comfortable shoes are essential for the uneven lanes and steps of the old quarter.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. Spring, roughly March to April, and autumn, October to November, are the most comfortable months. Summer afternoons regularly pass 40 °C (104 °F) with low humidity, and nights stay warm, so summer is hard going for walking. Winter is cool and dry, which suits sightseeing well.

How long. 2–3

Getting there. Yazd lies roughly midway between Isfahan and Kerman. Flights run daily from Tehran and Mashhad, with international links to Dubai. By rail, the Tehran to Kerman line passes through the city, and some services pass through Kashan. Buses link Yazd with Isfahan, Shiraz and Na'in. From the bus station, local buses or taxis reach the old town.

Budget. low

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources