Happiness is to the one who wishes happiness to others. (Zarathustra)

Zoroastrianism. Sights of Yazd: Towers of Silence in Yazd, Temple of Fire Ateshkadeh in Yazd, Temple of Fire Chak Chak (Pire-Sabz).

Strictly speaking, the main historical centers zoroastrianism there are two in Iran - Yazd and Kerman. Although in terms of numbers the largest Zoroastrian community is in Tehran, which is natural, since Tehran is the largest metropolis in Iran, and people are slowly migrating there. But Yazd is the second city in terms of the number of Zoroastrians, and in terms of percentage, it is probably the first - it is believed that there are about 5% of them in Yazd. And it is Yazd that is the generally recognized spiritual center of Zoroastrianism.

In general, there are not so many Zoroastrians left in Iran - according to various estimates, from 27 to 50 thousand. Therefore, the estimate of 5% for Yazd, with its 505,000 population, appears to be overstated.

It is not known whether Zarathustra(he is Zoroaster- in Greek transcription), the prophet of Zoroastrianism, a real person, or mythical. It is also not reliably determined when exactly this religion arose, but the Zoroastrian tradition calls 1738 BC. e., and scientists are inclined to approximately the period 1000 - 754 BC. Prior to this time, the Iranians supposedly professed Vedism- the initial form of Hinduism, or sabeism- worship of the stars.

At first, the new religion "did not go" - Zarathustra in the first 10 years of preaching was able to convert only his cousin. But then luck smiled at him - Zarathustra managed to interest the king Kavi Vishtasp with her ideas, after which the process went quite briskly.

Zoroastrianism is, in fact, modern name this religion, formed on behalf of its prophet, Zarathustra. Previously, the name “ mazdeism", Originating from the name of God - the creator, Ahura Mazda... The Zoroastrians themselves call their religion "mazdayasna" - "veneration of Mazda", or "wahvi-daena" - "good worldview", and they call themselves "behdin" - "the faithful."

The God of the Zoroastrians is also one - this is Ahura Mazda, the "Wise God", the ideal creator of all things (also known as Ormuzd). Nevertheless, in addition to Ahura Mazda, there are also Ameshaspena - his six divine creations, each of which represents one of the stages of spiritual development and patronizes the corresponding earthly creatures of the Wise God - people, animals, fire, metals, earth, plants and water.

All the main principles of religion are encoded in faravahare- the symbol of zoroastrianism.

Faravahar at the Ateshkadeh fire temple in Yazd

The winged solar disk itself was also depicted by the Egyptians and Assyrians above the royal persons to indicate their glory. But the Zoroastrians have complicated the symbol by introducing their own concepts into it. I must say that there are quite a few interpretations of the symbols embedded in the Faravahar.

A bearded man - wisdom, experience, striving for perfection and independence, allowing to distinguish good from evil, given by Ahura Mazda to people; a raised hand points to heaven, recalling obligations to God;

The ring that the person holds - the "ring of the contract" - a reminder of the obligation to always keep promises (an option is a ring of reincarnations of the soul; however, the theme of reincarnations in Zoroastrianism does not have a special development - the soul enters the body when it is still in the womb and leaves it after death, going to heaven (the House of Songs) or to hell; the fate of a person is determined by the struggle between good and evil, the concept of the "wheel of Samsara" - a series of rebirths of the soul in new material forms - is not in Zoroastrianism);

The disc in the middle of the image is eternity, a reminder of the cycle of the life path, which must be pious, so that after death the soul will forever find paradise;

Five rows of feathers on the wings (in the photo, however, there are three rows, not five) - the number of Ghats - hymns-prayers to God (option - the stages of the soul's advance to God);

Two "legs" / ribbons - the paths of good and evil;

The tail is a rudder that guides towards good or evil;

Three rows of feathers on the tail are a triad of Zoroastrian religious ethics: "good thoughts, good words, good deeds."

Historians, meanwhile, believe that these interpretations of the symbolism of the Faravahar arose in the popular environment in a relatively recent period, and have nothing to do with historical accuracy. For them, this is only a designation of the royal glory and power given by God, as well as the best part of the human soul, belonging to God, and leading a person to him, a type of guardian angels.

Angra Mainyu (Ahriman)- the evil opposite of Ahura Mazda, seeking to spoil his creations. Life is an eternal struggle of goodness and harmony (which is represented by Asha, one of those created by Ahura Mazda Ameshaspent) with evil - Druj. Accordingly, the believing Zoroastrian is obliged to contribute in every possible way to the victory of good, doing it to the best of his ability. And one day the final battle will take place, in which Ahura Mazda will win. The souls of the dead from heaven and hell will again be called to judgment and will pass through a stream of molten metal, which will be pleasing to the righteous, and in which sinners will burn, after which an era of general prosperity will come.

Zoroastrians have complex funerary traditions. The body of the deceased is defiled by death. Only gravediggers can touch it - nassalars, whose profession was inherited, and imposed serious restrictions on them. The dwellings of the Nassalars stood on the outskirts, they had to live separately even from members of their own family, to warn of their appearance by ringing special bells.

Since for the Zoroastrians earth, water, fire and plants are sacred, a serious problem arose with the disposal of bodies. You cannot bury or burn - it will desecrate the earth or fire. A peculiar solution was found. Special burial structures were built - Astodans (Towers of Silence), lined with stone from the inside, excluding the contact of dead flesh with the ground, with round roof-platforms, surrounded by high clay walls.

The Nassalar carried the bodies on stretchers. The relatives accompanied the procession at some distance. Only the Nassalars were allowed to climb the Towers of Silence.

The description of the burial process looks eerie. On the inner roof-platform of the towers, the bodies were seated or laid, after which they were left to be torn apart by scavengers. The stomachs of vultures contain a certain enzyme that kills decomposition products, which contributed to the decontamination of decomposing corpses. High walls protected from the possible pulling away of pieces of flesh (and, accordingly, the desecration of the earth) by beasts. There was a well in the center of the site. The circle closest to the well was intended for children's bodies. Medium - for women, long-range - for men. The platform had a slight inclination towards the center and troughs through which blood flowed into the well. When the bodies were gnawed to the bone, the sun-dried remains were crushed, thrown through a well into a bone storage and covered with lime. When the tower was full, a new one was built.

At the beginning of the 20th century, many Zoroastrians began to consider the traditional burial ceremony obsolete. The cities have come close to the Towers of Silence, the number of vultures has significantly decreased. In addition, in 1851, the first university, Dar ul-Funun, was opened in Tehran. Medical students faced a problem: Islam forbade the unnecessary opening of Muslim bodies, which made it difficult to study. For educational purposes, bodies began to be kidnapped from the Towers of Silence. As a result, Tehran Zoroastrians organized a new cemetery 10 km from Tehran, where they began to bury the dead in graves lined with stone and reinforced with concrete boxes that exclude contact of flesh with earth.

The more conservative Zoroastrian communities of Yazd and Kerman continued the traditional practice until the 1970s, when it was finally prohibited by law.

Indian Zoroastrians - Parsis (Persians who left for India at the beginning of the 18th century from the persecution of Muslims) continue to bury their dead in the Towers of Silence. For the Parsis, they seem to be a little more complicated - the remains thrown into the ossuary, after their gradual crushing, are washed out by rainwater through special charcoal filters into wells and further into the sea (in Mumbai). The Parsis have their own problems - the cities have also approached the towers, but so far this is being solved by the fact that in India the Towers of Silence are traditionally surrounded by protective belts of trees and bushes. The main problem is the catastrophic decrease in the number of scavengers by 99.9% as a result of the use in India in the 90s of the XX century, diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory drug for livestock, banned only in 2006. The Parsis are now trying to breed scavengers, but for now they are trying to dispose of the bodies, increasing the effect of solar energy on them, installing special mirrors.

In the morning Fereshte drove into the hotel to pick me up and we went to the Towers of Silence on the outskirts of Yazd. There are two of them in Yazd. Both are near.

At the foot of the towers is a well and a building where the funeral procession could stop and say goodbye to the deceased before his body is lifted into the tower.

At the foot of the towers of silence

Well with wind towers - badgirs for water cooling

The climb to the right tower doesn't seem too steep

From the tower opens beautiful view to Yazd.

The inside of the Tower of Silence looks somewhat deserted. A round platform where the bodies were laid out to be eaten by vultures. In the middle is a buried well, where crushed bones, dried up by the sun, were thrown.

A little creepy. Although, it would seem, what's the difference? The cemetery is the cemetery. Nobody was killed here.

Yazd, Tower of Silence, filled well

It was hot. It seems that the height is also small, and it was not so difficult to climb, but Fereshta felt unwell, and we agreed that she would return to the car. Sina will come for her, they will wait for me, then together we will take her home, and Sina will continue the excursion.

And I, meanwhile, climbed to the next tower, where excursions do not lead.

The tower of silence, to which tourists are not taken

Climbing the second tower from the side of the complex of buildings at its foot is not very convenient, but it is not particularly difficult to climb. Only closer to the top I had to climb over the walls - the passage was blocked by stones.

But the entrance to the tower itself is open.

The second tower offers even more picturesque views.

Tower of Silence, view of Yazd

Sina and Fereshte return to the car

Inside the second Tower of Silence.

From the second tower, the first is in full view.

I went down the path - it's longer, but more comfortable.

Fire, being sacred to the Zoroastrians, has an important ritual significance, being one of the symbols of the piety of Ahura Mazda and the harmony and goodness of Asha. Zoroastrians believe that there are a large number of different types of fire: heavenly fire, fire from wood, fire of life in man and animals, home fires of various representatives of the community - merchants, peasants, artisans, military men, priests, etc.

In reverence for Ahura Mazda, temples of fire began to be erected over time, which were small modest clay rooms with thick walls, plastered from the inside, with a dome resting on four columns and an altar with a brass bowl with an eternal fire in the recess of one of the walls, hidden from the worshipers by a partition. Windows, as a rule, were absent, since nothing should touch the sacred fire, even the no less sacred sunlight, there was only an opening in the dome for ventilation. The priests performed sacred acts with fire, wearing special clothes, a hat, gloves, a bandage covering the mouth so as not to defile it either by touch or breath.

It is believed that the largest number of such temples of fire were built under the Sassanids, who actively promoted the religion to strengthen their power at the end of the third century. Archaeologists, however, managed to find much more ancient temple fire, dating back to the 7th century BC, in which fire from the main closed hall could be transferred to a flat roof for public viewing. It seems that in the village of Abyani, the temple is just of this type,

The fires also varied in the degree of holiness. The main fire, Atash Bahram (Victorious), was gradually assembled from 16 different types of fires - from houses representing all social strata of the Zoroastrian community, and the main one, lit by a lightning strike into a tree, which could wait for years. From Bahram they lit the fires of city temples, from city fires - rural, from rural - home fires (and many in the houses had separate rooms with a sacred fire burning in them).

The next fire in the hierarchy is Atash Adaran, collected from 4 types of fires from representatives of four estates - priests, employees (military and officials), peasants (farmers and cattle breeders) and urban hard workers - artisans and workers. The procedure for its creation took 2-3 weeks.

Each type of fire can only burn in a temple corresponding to it in the hierarchy. Atash Bahram only in the main temples, with a separate room for fire, where only the highest representatives of the Zoroastrian clergy can enter. Atash Adaran - in the Houses of Fire (Ateshkadeh), where he can be served by simpler priests - mobs.

Once lit, the sacred fire should never go out, for this will mean the victory of the forces of darkness. The burning is supported by special priests, placing pieces of almond, apricot and sandalwood. Each fire required, over time, a special procedure for renewal and purification. Each king was entitled to his own fire as one of the status symbols.

After the defeat of the Sassanid empire by the Arabs in 651, the Zaostrians had a rather difficult time in Islamized Persia. At the beginning of the 8th century, a significant part of them went to India, where they were received favorably. In India, the Zoroastrians settled in rather isolated communities, mainly in Bombay, becoming known as the Parsis. Thanks to the favorable environment, the number of Zaostrians-Parsis is now estimated at about 100,000 people, which is 2-4 times more than the followers of this faith in its homeland, Iran. The Parsis are superior to the average Hindus in terms of education and wealth. Despite their relatively small numbers, they made a great contribution to the history of India: it was the Parsis who founded the first political party in India, a public hospital, a printing press and a newspaper, a university and a stock exchange.

Another heyday of Zoroastrianism in Iran came in 1925-1941, the era of the power of Reza Shah Pahlavi, who staked on the popularization of the ancient religion to strengthen his power, promote secular reforms, and weaken the authority of Islamic imams. Zoroastrians received equal rights with Muslims, Shiite symbolism was deliberately supplanted by Zoroastrian symbolism, the study of pre-Islamic history of Persia was welcomed, the teachings and philosophy of Zoroastrianism began to be taught at the university - Zoroastrianism became fashionable. Ties were strengthened with the Indian Parsis, who rendered serious assistance to their brothers in the faith.

So, it was with the funds of the Parsis that in 1934 was built Ateshkadeh fire temple in Yazd... Strictly speaking, as I wrote above, Ateshkadeh is not so much the proper name of the temple as its type - “House of Fire”, a kind of temple in which the fire of the second level burns, Atash Adaran, collected from 4 other fires. Ateshkadeh looks modest, as befits a fire temple. In front of the temple there is a small, clean courtyard with a pool and a garden.

Coins are traditionally thrown into the pool

A bowl with a fire, continuously burning since 467, and brought to Yazd from Erdekan, the second largest city of the ostan (province) of Yazd, is separated from visitors by thick glass (so as not to be defiled inadvertently). The interior is unpretentious: a painting depicting Zarathustra and several explanatory texts regarding the temple itself, as well as the values ​​and symbols of Zoroastrianism.

Unpretentious interior of the Ateshkadeh fire temple

The sacred fire of the Ateshkadeh temple, hidden behind a protective glass (to prevent desecration)

Text explaining the symbolism of the Faravahar

Until the beginning of the 20th century, Muslims used to contemptuously call the Zoroastrians “gebras” (infidels) and “fire worshipers” (alluding, again, to their alleged paganism), that the Zoroastrians are terribly offended - they do not worship fire, fire is only a symbol of Ahura Mazda, the one God , as well as for the cross - a symbol of Christianity, and the crescent - Islam.

A text explaining that the Zoroastrians do not worship fire, but worship Ahura Mazda, whose symbol is fire, and tells the long story of the life of the fire of the temple.

Near the temple there is a small museum telling about the life of the Zoroastrian community.

Museum of the Zoroastrian Community

The position of women in Zoroastrian society was more free than in Muslim. She had significantly more rights, theoretically a woman could even become a priest - mobed... There were a number of restrictions, however, of course. So, during menstruation, a woman was considered unclean, and was not supposed to be near loved ones until it was over and the ritual of purification was performed. The Zoroastrian women did not cover their faces (although in Kerman, when entering the people, they preferred to follow Islamic customs so as not to run into trouble; in Yazd they did not bother with this).

This is not visible in the photo, under the outerwear for the Zoroastrian (both men and women) must be worn cedre- a white (also a symbol of Ahura Mazda's purity) underwear, sewn in a special way from one single piece of fabric (usually cotton; there is a list of allowed fabrics) with 9 seams, which, in turn, symbolize 9 human elements - life itself, appearance, body , bones, strength, breath, consciousness, soul and faravashi - a personal guardian spirit. Tied on the cedra koshty- a white woolen belt in a finger with a thickness of 72 threads (according to the number of Yasna chapters in the Avesta, the collection of sacred hymns of the Zoroastrians), tied with 6 knots (according to the number of main holidays), symbolizing following the precepts of Ahura Mazda. The knots are tied several times daily, which is accompanied by the reading of a prayer and is a symbol of communion with the unity and benefits of all Zoroastrians.

Another important Zoroastrian shrine is Pirae-Sabz or Chak-Chak temple located in the mountains 72 km from Yazd. According to legend, in 640, princess Nikbanu, one of the daughters of the last Persian king from the Sassanid dynasty, pursued by an Arab pursuit, turned with a prayer for help to Ahura Mazda, and the mountain miraculously opened up, letting her in and hiding from her pursuers. The Arabs laid siege to the mountain. The princess was suffering from headache and thirst. She escaped thirst by hitting the floor of the cave with her staff, causing water to drip from the ceiling. But the story ended all the same sadly - not wanting to surrender to the enemy, the princess threw herself off the cliff. Since then, the mountain has mourned her with tears from inexhaustible source(Chak-Chak is translated from Farsi as Cap-Cap). And in the cave that sheltered the princess, they made a temple, where hundreds of Zoroastrian pilgrims come in June, for whom guest houses were built on the slope, which were empty at other times.

The road to Chak-Chak passes through the picturesque desert

The Zoroastrian tradition requires pilgrims who come to the temple by car to stop as soon as they see the temple and continue on foot.

But we are not pilgrims, we are allowed to get there.

A staircase leads to the temple, rather flat.

Guest houses

Entrance to the Pire-Sabz temple (Chak-Chak). According to legend, the tree at the entrance grew from the staff of the princess.

On the doors of the Chak-Chak temple, the image of Zarathustra

In fact, the grotto is man-made. In the middle there is a fire altar.

“Tears of the Mountain for a Princess” chakchak into carefully placed plastic trays.

According to the hierarchy of fires, Pire-Sabz (Chak-Chak) is also Ateshkadeh - House of Fire

The modest decoration of the temple

Nearby room for pilgrims

More photos can be seen at.

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| Yazd is the center of Zoroastrianism and unique city in Iran

Yazd is the center of Zoroastrianism and a unique city in Iran

400 km northeast of Shiraz (500 km southeast of Tehran), at an altitude of 1215 m above sea level, lies the center of the ancient religion of Zoroastrianism that dominated Persia before the arrival of Islam - Yazd. The city is considered one of the oldest permanently inhabited places on the planet. Surrounded by Shir-Kukh mountain ranges and a whole network of fortifications, the city only in 642 AD. NS. was captured by the Arabs, but continued to be an important point on the caravan routes from India to Central Asia. At the end of the XX century. UNESCO has recognized Yazd as the second oldest urban area in the world.

Without a doubt, this is one of the most beautiful and distinctive cities in Iran. It's amazing how few tourists come here when compared to Isfahan and Shiraz. The more pleasant it is for the few who came to Yazd. It is this city that is the center of Zoroastrianism (fire worship), and it is here that every third city dweller professes this ancient belief in the greatness of fire. Actually, the very name of the city Yazd (Yazdan) is translated as "Divine". Yazd has seen such famous travelers as Maroc Polo and Afanasy Nikitin.

Attractions Yazd

The main attraction of Yazd is the city itself and its unique architecture. For centuries, local houses were built in the form of "bad girs" wind towers with round domes and a kind of passive ventilation system, and moreover, they were supplied with ingenious devices for collecting water, which was reflected in the external appearance of the city.

The main attractions are the Doulat tower (height 33 m), Dakhme or Kale-e Hamush (Towers of Silence, burial places according to the Zoroastrian rite), the remains of the city defensive walls of the XII-XIV centuries, the "tower of fire" Atashkade, on which there are already 3 thousand For years, an unquenchable fire has been burning, the Zoroastrian shrines Kale-ye Asadan ("Fortress of Lions") and Chak-Chak (52 km north of Yazd), the Amir-Chakhmak mosque (Jome, XIV century) is actually a whole historical complex, consisting of a mosque, public baths, a hotel, a mausoleum, three reservoirs and a portal of one of the bazaars of Yazd, the funeral mosque Makhbare-e Davazda-Imam ("Shrine of the Twelve Imams"), Friday Mosque Jame (1324-1364, one of the most high in the country), the mosque and mausoleum of Sayed Ron-ad-Din (XIV century), huge domes of the House of Water, Doulat-Abad garden, Bazaar gate with two small minarets, "Alexander's dungeon" Zendan-e Iskander (a strange round structure, the walls of which are covered with inscriptions with the names of all Shiite imams), the Yazd Museum (Aine-va-Roushani) in the archaeological complex " Mirrored palace", Museum of Natural History of the City Education Department and the Bak-e Doulat Historical Complex.

And, of course, there are traditional oriental bazaars, and there are no less than 12 of them in Yazd, among which the most popular are Bazar-e Khan, Jewelry Bazaar and Panje-Ali bazaar. Yazd probably the best place in the country to buy silk, cashmere, brocade and taffeta, as well as all kinds of textiles, which is not surprising: it is the weaving industry that has ensured prosperity for the city for many centuries.

Walking on the rooftops of the Old City in Yazd is a favorite pastime of a few independent tourists traveling in central Iran. The buildings, with rare exceptions, are located so close to each other that a walk on the rooftops can be easily replaced by a promenade along narrow streets. Be careful when climbing clay stairs; most of the houses and abandoned buildings are in disrepair, and you should step on the roofs carefully.

To walk around the Old Town, it is better to hire a local guide, who will not only tell you about the history of the place, but also guide you along the secret passages and give an opportunity to look at everyday life. local population inviting into the house. Finding an accompanying person will not be difficult; the guides offer their services at the bus and train station.

How to get to Yazd

Yazd is located 300 kilometers southeast of Esfahan, 440 kilometers northeast of Shiraz and 630 kilometers southeast of Tehran. The most convenient way to get to the clay city is by regular buses running daily from Esfahan, Shiraz and Tehran to Yazd. The bus terminal is located 10 kilometers southwest of the city center, not far from the airport. You can get to the station by taxi or minibus from Beheshti and Azadi squares; the fare is about 10,000 IRR (~ $ 1.0). Tickets to intercity routes it is best to purchase from travel agencies, and not at the train station; the margin is minimal, but the staff will tell you best routes transfers and help arrange transfers.

A rail link connects Yazd with Tehran. Trains run three times a day through Kashan, Qom and Bandar Abbas; travel time is about eight hours, depending on the class of the train. Flights from Tehran depart at 20:35 and 22:20. Fares start at IRR 50,000 (~ $ 5.0) per person, one way.

Yazd International Airport, located 10 kilometers from the central part of the city, receives several daily flights from Tehran. The flight time from the capital of Iran to Yazd is 70 minutes; flights are operated twice a day. Several times a week operate from Yazd to Damascus and Dubai.

Yazd from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Yazda.

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The most charismatic city in Iran, ancient Yazd is located exactly in the center of the country, at an almost equal distance from Isfahan, Kerman and Shiraz. There is everything here to feel like you have fallen to another planet: whole forests of wind towers - "badgirs", thanks to a complex system of turbulences delivering fresh air to homes languishing from the summer heat, the most ancient Zoroastrian temple, the sacred fire of which has been kept unquenchable for 15 centuries, and a labyrinth of narrow streets of the old city, where the world's finest silk fabrics are born in weaving workshops, which once struck the imagination of Marco Polo himself. You can spend the night here in one of the unusual hotels: old residential houses with all their age-old attributes have been converted into inns in Yazda, and you can have a cup of morning coffee in the pleasant company of a believing Zoroastrian who will tell you that heaven is hot, but hell is on the contrary, icy (with which we, the inhabitants of cold Moscow, will one hundred percent agree). Among other things, Yazd is the second most ancient city of mankind, inhabited to the present day - the first mention of the settlement dates back to the 3rd millennium BC. NS.

How to get to Yazd

Like most cities in Iran, Yazd has its own airport, which receives international and domestic flights. The most convenient way to get to Yazd is via Tehran on Aeroflot or IranAir flights from Moscow's Sheremetyevo. At least two planes leave Tehran for Yazd daily; travel time - a little over an hour. To get from the airport to the center of Yazd, take a taxi (about 6-10 EUR). Prices on the page are for October 2018.

Search for flights to Tehran (nearest airport to Yazd)

By train

Yazd can also be reached by train, both from Tehran and from other cities of the country. The Tehran-Yazd train leaves every night, the journey takes about 6 hours, the ticket price ranges from EUR 9 in a six-seater compartment to EUR 12 in a comfortable carriage (we recommend the second option).

By bus

In addition, you can get to Yazd by intercity express bus from any city in Iran. We remind you that it is better to take the "super" class with a "snack" included in the price and conditioned air. By the way, the Tehran-Yazd road is of excellent quality, and such a trip can be classified as very pleasant.

Transport in the city

The old town of Yazda can be easily explored on foot. For longer trips, you can use taxi services: 4000-6000 IRR for an individual trip to the specified address and 1000-2000 IRR for the opportunity to get into a collective car and get out, where necessary, in the direction of the taxi. There are also motorcycle taxi drivers in Yazda who will rush you through the city streets with a whistle in their ears. Such a trip will cost even less, and will give you a lot of impressions!

Cuisine and restaurants of Yazd

Yazd offers travelers a rare opportunity to dine in ancient buildings converted into restaurants. One of the most popular establishments is the Hammam-e Khan restaurant, as you might guess, located in the premises of the old hammam. Here you can enjoy magnificent Persian cuisine under the rhythmic swaying of the water in the baths, under the shade of vaulted ceilings and surrounded by elaborate wall ceramics. In addition, almost every restaurant in Yazd offers a view of this or that landmark, for example, the Friday Mosque (restaurant "Marco Polo"), as a free addition to the meal, Old city("Malek-o Tozhzhar") or an old estate with a magnificent garden ("Mozaffar").

The most delicious sweets and cakes can be tasted in a specialized confectionery on Jomhuriyye-Eslami Boulevard - the masters of sweets work right in front of you and, best of all, they allow you to try the result of their labors.

Stop by Amiran Paludeh pastry shop and enjoy a bowl of Iranian sorbet - a palude made from rice flour, fruit pulp and rose water (1500 IRR per bowl).

Yazd Maps

Shopping and shops

The main shopping location in Yazda is the bazaars of the old city. Here you can see and buy wonderful carpets (moreover, for more low prices than in Tehran and other popular tourist cities of the country), hammered and leather products, spices, sweets and souvenirs. Pay attention to the Yazd silks, called "tirma" here. You can buy fabric cuts or ready-made products - from headscarves to bedspreads.

Entertainment and sights of Yazd

The old town of Yazda is one big attraction. The appearance of most of the buildings here has not changed for more than one century: the dark brown walls of buildings made of raw bricks burnt in the sun and the otherworldly structures of bagdir wind towers on each roof. Climbing to the roof of one of the buildings open to the public, you can see the endless expanses of the desert that surrounds Yazd from all sides.

The Zoroastrian temple of Atashkade is a place of pilgrimage for followers of this religion from all over the world. The sacred fire of the temple has been maintained since 470; it can be seen through a small window in the central hall.

The Museum of Water presents an interesting exposition that tells about the ancient method of delivering water to the city through underground tunnels... The art of arranging such a water supply system is more than two thousand years old!

The Zoroastrian Towers of Silence, which were used, according to the beliefs of the Zoroastrians, for the body of the deceased to naturally decay in the air, ceased to serve their purpose only since the 60s of the 20th century.

The Zoroastrian Towers of Silence are located a short distance from the city and are easily accessible by taxi. According to the beliefs of the Zoroastrians, the body of the deceased should naturally decay in the air - therefore, the dead were taken to remote tower-type structures, where they were left on the upper platform to be eaten by birds of prey. By the way, the towers have not been used since the 60s of the 20th century.

For magnificent Islamic architecture, head to the Friday Mosque, Khazireh and Amir Shakmah Mosques.

Not far from the Amir Shakmah mosque there is a complex of buildings of the same name, from the top of which you can view Yazd from an almost bird's eye view.

Do not ignore the beautiful Kazharsky house with 150 years of history - Khan-e Lari. Here you can see some of the best-preserved wind towers, graceful arched walkways, alcoves and traditional doors.

Prices on the page are for October 2018.

Once the city was an esoteric center, a place where mystics and gnostics gathered, and until now 5-10% of the population are Zoroastrians - this is an ancient religion of fire worshipers that originated in Iran. When Islam became the state religion of the Persian state, the Zoroastrians of Yazd managed to resist forced conversion to the new faith by regularly paying taxes. In Atashkad ("Tower of Fire"), the flame has not extinguished since 470 - for more than 1530 years! Here, on the outskirts of the city, there is Dakhme, or Kale-e Hamusha ("Tower of Silence"), where the dead are buried according to the Zoroastrian rite.

Yazd is known for the world's largest network of "ropes" - an ancient system of wells invented in Iran, it gradually spread to the desert cities of other localities and is still used today. Many houses are equipped with bad-gir wind towers (for passive ventilation), and yachts serve as a kind of primitive refrigerators. Almost all houses are built of adobe - adobe bricks made of sand, clay, straw and manure.

The city has preserved stunning examples of Islamic buildings and medieval city walls.

The region has a desert climate - very hot during the day and extremely cold at night. Trees bloom in early spring.

Do not miss

• Jameh Mosque XIV century
• Amir Chakhmak Mosque XIV century Yazd Museum.
• Funeral mosque Mahbare-e Davazda Imam ("Shrine of the twelve imams") - XII century.
• Mausoleum of Sayed Ron ad-Din.
• Bag-e Dovlat is a wonderful house with stained glass windows and a garden.
• Dungeon of Alexander.
• Chak Chak is an important Zoroastrian temple 52 km from Yazd.

You should know

Yazd is famous for silk weaving, ceramics and sweets. Yazd's bazaars are perhaps the best place in Iran to buy silk, cashmere and brocade.

Yazd is one of ancient cities not only Iran, but also the world. It was founded back in the III millennium BC - in an oasis in the desert, 700 kilometers from Tehran, on one of the important caravan routes from India to Central Asia. Historically, the city was located in the interior of the country, far from the borders - and this allowed it to stay away from wars and ruin for centuries. Thus, all the uniqueness of Yazd is not only in its antiquity, but in the fact that to this day the central part of the city has been preserved almost unchanged! Yazd is one of the most ancient, permanently inhabited places on the planet.

1. We will start the walk from the outskirts historic center... At the crossroads of city streets, surrounded by pine trees, there is a clock tower - one of two in the old town.

2. In Iran there are many interesting sights, monuments of architecture and antiquity. But at the same time, one of the main impressions of the ancient cities of Iran is simply their atmosphere - old streets, alleys, houses made of clay or brick, silence, tranquility, oriental solidity in everything. For example, here is a small detail - in the future you will probably notice a large number of semicircular roofs in the old town. This is one of the classic elements of Persian architecture. The semicircular roof allows rooms to heat up less in hot weather.

3. The domes of mosques rise above the quiet streets here and there. The very beautiful Imamzadeh Mosque is one of those.

5. Yazd is an ancient city on the ancient caravan route. And its central part has practically not changed over the past centuries. It seems that these traders from the past also just stopped for a minute - and are about to come to life.

8. The Amir Chakmak complex of the 15th century is one of the main symbols of Yazd. The complex is not a simple mosque: its main part is the three-story Hosseinie, a ritual building intended for prayers and mourning for Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.

9. The luxurious facade is especially beautiful in the evening light, and at night Amir-Chakmak and the surrounding square look just incredible. But more on that separately ...

10. The Amir-Chakmak complex is not far from the heart of the Old City. You just need to walk a couple of streets.

11. In the East, everything is close by, everything is harmonious - the ancient walls of the 15th century coexist with busy streets, along which people are busily walking about their business ...

12. There is also another mosque.

13. And everywhere around - markets and bazaars. Well, where in the East is there no bazaar? :)

14. And trade in the bazaar is conducted under the strict views of Ruhollah Khomeini and the current supreme ruler Ali Khamenei. Under such a gaze, can you weigh at least half a gram? :)

15. At the busy crossroads of the Old City, there is the second old clock tower of Yazd, decorated with oriental ornaments and blue-and-blue ceramic tiles, traditional for the East.

16. From the clock tower begins the boulevard leading to the holy of holies of the ancient city - the Friday Cathedral Mosque of the 12th century.

17. The boulevard, like a geometric axis, connects two city dominants: at one end - a mosque, and when looking in the opposite direction - the old Clock Tower.

18. Luxurious, decorated with tiles, patterns and tiles, Friday Mosque (Kabir, Jame) - the main mosque of the city. It was built in the XII century and was later rebuilt in the XIV century. This mosque is visible from almost everywhere in Yazd - its 52-meter minarets are among the tallest in Iran.

20. On the square in front of the Friday Mosque there are many souvenir shops and shops where you can buy everything from consumer goods and tableware to magnificent camel-bone boxes and luxurious Persian carpets.

22. Incredible labyrinths of streets, old adobe houses. And all this is not ostentatious - it all has stood practically in its original form for centuries! And, the most interesting thing is that life in these streets is still measured and as usual.

23. A motorcycle with a passenger wrapped in a black chador in the back seat will buzz busily.

24. A peasant will go out into the street ...

25. And again the streets, adobe houses, walls, widened with logs for reliability ...

26. Everywhere in Yazd one can see such towers - badgirs. Badgir is a traditional element in Iranian architecture that serves to ventilate buildings and maintain normal temperatures in them. In fact, badgir is a natural conditioner. With a slight wind, the air, passing by the wind roll, enters its shaft and descends into the room, under which the pool is most often installed. While cooling, the flow divides - cold air remains in the house, while hot air goes up the shaft at the opposite end of the room. We will look into the ventilation shaft of Badgir, when we will study one of the ancient Iranian houses in a little more detail.

27. Ancient streets dive under the arches of stone arches ...

28. Domes, arches ... Carved doors .... Badgir turrets ... Minaret domes ... Streets .... Labyrinths ... Fancy arches ... Domes ... Old times! It would seem that there are no particularly bright dominants, but so catchy! An hour or two or three you wander. The ancient city of Yazd has an incredibly strong energy. However, perhaps, like all the places where we have visited in Iran. An unusually interesting country!

35. "Air conditioners" - badgirs on the roof of one of the rich mansions, where a four-star hotel is now located.

36. Yazd is located in the desert and surrounded by mountains. Perhaps this has preserved its historical appearance for centuries.

38. One of the surviving towers of the fortress walls and the blue-green dome of the mosque in the background.

40. An interesting door. The gateway to the old town? :)

41. Slightly away from the Friday Mosque and adjoining quarters of clay houses, there is the luxurious Doulat-Abad garden, the former residence of Karim Khan Zand. The garden was built in 1750 and is a palace surrounded by pine alleys and orchards. The highest badgir in Iran (33 meters) is also located here.

46. ​​Persimmons and pomegranates grow in the garden, the remnants of the harvest of which hang on the branches until winter.

48. Religious banners ...