About Jame Mosque (Shiraz) in Fars province
This is one of the oldest buildings of the early Islamic period in Fars.
Its architectural technique and high ivan are reminiscent of the Sassanid constructions which have supplied a model for imitation.
This ancient mosque belongs to the fourth century A.H. (10th centuryA.D.) and its mihrab must have been built around A.H. 363 (A.D. 973).
This mosque possesses a very spacious crescent-shaped ivan, open the southern side and walled at the back. Adjoining the back wall, there stands the mihrab, which is a later addition. In another part of the mosque, there is a minaret, which may have belonged to the original structure of this monument.
About Qumsheh in Fars province
On the road between Esfahan and Shiraz, the Qumsheh Sanctuary is set in a peaceful landscape of water, greenery and rock.
The peristyle with its slender wooden columns is characteristic of the region`s architecture.
The land of Pars, the birthplace of the Achaemenian Empire, is located in the south of Iran. This region was the political-cultural focal point of ancient Persia and the historical monuments have a high tourism value. The historical monuments of Fars province may be divided into two categories:
Pre-slamic Monuments: The most important ones are persepolis aggregate, Naghsh-e-Rostam, and Passargad north of Shiraz; remained vestiges in Naghsh-e-Shapour and Azarjoo Fire-Temple in Darab; the ancient city of Fasa with Tal Zahak vestiges in Fasa; other monuments in Firooz-Abad, Kazeroon, Lar, Jahrom, and Mamasani which totally are amongst the most eye-catching historical places in the world.
Post-Islamic Monuments: The most important monuments of this period are: The Shrine of His Holiness Ahmad Ibn Musa (A.S.), the son of the 7th Imam of Shi'ite, famous as Shah Chiragh: Atigh Jame' Mosque in Shriaz which belongs to the Saffarian time and was constructed in 281 AH, a series of historical buildings of Vakil from Zandian time in Shiraz, which are mosque, school, citadel, post-house, museum, mourning places, and water storage which were constructed by the order of Karim Khan Zand, the founder of the Zandieh dynasty. Darvazeh Qur'an (Qur'an Gate), the memorials of Sadi, Hafiz, and Khajoo are in Shiraz and are annually visited by thousands of tourists.
Khogilooyeh and Boirahmad Province :
The province of Kohkiloieh va Boier Ahmad in southern Iran is located between latitudes 30-9' to 31-27' N. and longitudes 49-55' to 51-42' E. It is bounded on the north by Chaharmahal va Bakhtiari province , on the east by Esfahan province and Fars province, on the south by Fars province and Boushehr province , and on the west by Khuzestan province.
Its area is 13,699 square kilometers. According to 1995 divisions, Kohkiloieh va Boier Ahmad has 3 counties - Boyer Ahmad, Kohkiloieh and Gachsaran - 8 towns, 12 rural districts and 38 villages. Its center is Yasuj.
About Dena Mountain in Kohkiloieh va Boier Ahmad province
The mountain range of Dena, with more than 20 elevations and over 4000 meters high above the sea level, is, in fact, the great Himalayas in miniature.
The mountain range, which is located in Kohkiluyeh va Boyer Ahmad province, is covered with oak forests.
Natural springs, singing of the birds, and fresh air fascinate all lovers of nature.
Khogilooyeh and Boirahmad Province is located in southwest of Fars province and is the dwelling place for Boirahmad and Mamassanni nomad tribes. This province enjoys a pleasant nature and Margoon waterfall is the most important natural attraction of this province.
Kerman and Yazd
Kerman Province :
This province was Known as "Botia" in the Achaemenids period and in the Islamic era was counted as an important cultural center and was under foreign domination many times.
This province with an area of 186,422 sq. Kms. is located in south east of Iran and enjoys a changeable climate, which is cold in montainous areas and warm in plains. In 1992 Kerman Province had a population of 1,934,588.
Each province in Iran , depending its on natural reserves and industry and artistic taste , has its own internal and international fame. Carpet, cumin-seed, pistachio date and mineral reserves are a part of this Province's wealth.
About Arg-e Bam in Kerman province
Once a famous citadel and strategic stronghold, this fort has been built on a huge rock and covers an area of six square kilometers in all. It is 300 meters long and 200 meters wide and consists of two parts. The fort is a five-story structure of unbaked brick and must have been constructed before the fifth and sixth centuries A.H. (11th and 12th centuries A.D.).
The place has undergone frequent repairs and comprises a rampart, an ancient entrance, adequate fortifications, some Safavid structures, a mosque, and a building known as (Char-Fasl) or (Palace of four seasons). There are two inscriptions in this vast and magnificent construction, which are indicative of recent reparations. Both tablets bear the date 20th Azar 1337 S.H. year (1958 A.D.); one of these has been installed by the society for the Preservation of National Monuments and the other, by the Department of Archaeology. The next of the latter is as follows:
(The Citadel of Bam, which was habitable and in a fairly good condition until a hundred and fifty years ago, has, according to (Hundud al-Alam) and other reliable sources that have come down to us from 4th century A.H. (10th century A.D.), been founded some 2000 years back, and has been repeatedly repaired thereafter. This commemorative tablet relates to the completion of the repairs of the watchtower and a part of the Governor`s residence. Azar 1337. Department of Archaeology.
(Kerman is the heart of the world ...) so says Shah Nemat-ol-lah-e-vali, the well known sufi-poet of the 8th century A.H. (Heart of the world) is as old as the history itself. R. Frye in the Heritage of Persia ( London,1962) brings up the possibility that the Kermani or Germani tribe has given its name to the area of its residence. Berossus, the Chaldean historian ( 3rd cent. BC ) in his account of the fall of Babylon to Cyrus the Great says that the Persian. Shahanshah sent Nabonidus, the fallen Babylonian king, to exile in Kerman, where he resided till his death (Pirmia -Moshir- ol- Dowleh- Hassan. Iram-e-Bastan, Tehran, 1362).
This, regardless of its historical accuracy, establishes Kerman as one of the major province of Iran, housing a population of 1,850,000. 190 Km to the south east of the city of Kerman, in the midst of the vast, endless, gray deserts, lies the ever-green city of Bam, the (Emerald of the Desert). This city with its extensive palm groves and citrus gardens is essentially an agricultural city, benefiting from very rich sub-terranean water reserves, surfacing through a great number of miles long (qanats), or sub-terranean aqueducts and water canals, in an area noted for the scarcity of water in it.
The citrus fruits of Bam, its oranges, tangerines, its sweet lemons, are well known, and its dates, especially the (Mozafati) brand, a unique well known for its delicacy are of universal fame. Lately, while the opening of new international markets have revitalized the agricultural activities in the area, pumping new blood in its old veins, some industrial projects are to change the whole economic, and, therefore, social texture of the city, bringing it to the competitive world of the industrial age, with all its hassles turmoil,... and confusions, the new car manufacturing project of the (Kerman Automotive Industries Co.), being the most notable of all these projects.
But Bam is known all through the world for a different aspect of it: Arg-e-Bam or the ancient citadel and the ruins of the ancient town surrounding it. This is one of the most splendid historical sites in the whole world: while most of the best known historical sites in the world, like Fars (Persepolis, Athen`s Acropolis, Rome`s forum and Coliseum, Paris` Versailles,... signify a limited period in history, Arg-e-Bam displays the imprints of 2000 continuous years of a dramatic, eventful history from its foundation, presumably during the Parathion period (250 BC - 224 AC), up until about 150 years ago when in the reign of Nasser-a-Din Shah Qajar (1831-1896, king 1548-1896) the ancient town was gradually deserted. This peculiarity has made estimation of the precise age of most parts of this historical complex rather difficult, sometimes even impossible.
The legends have it that the city was founded by Bahman, the son of Esfandiar, one of the legendary kings in the Esfahnameh, corresponded to Ardashir the Long Armed (Artaxerexes Longimanus, 429 BC, king 464-424) son of Xerexes I, the Achamenide King-of-Kings. However, most of the historians refer to the story of (Haftvad) in the Shahnameh, or (Haptanbad) in the Karnamak-e-Ardashir-e-Papkan, a historically true story, as the story, and the date, of the foundation of Bam. If so, this date goes back to the late, or mid, Parathion period although a thorough scientific and archeological inspection of the site is still needed.
There are some signs and indications like some Parathion coins found here - which make it a safe guess to assume that the nucleus part of the town and the citadel belonged to the Parthian period in its original form. Judging from the story of Haftvad` and also by comparing the ruins of Ghal-e-Do (the Maiden Fortress) to the north of Arg, and the original structure of the citadel, with the Parthian town model (like the ruins of Parthaunisa in Turkmenistan), it is obvious that originally the town and the residential quarters for the common people were located couple of miles to the west of the Arg, in the place of today`s Koozeran-corresponding the Kojaran of the Shahnameh and the adjacent Dehshotor quarters, while the residence of the governing prince was in the Ghal-e-Dokhtar, where, according to the Parthian- and maybe Achamenide-model, it was also the temple for the official court religion.
There is an ornamental figure carved on the wall of an altar on the eastern side of Ghal-e-Dokhtarl which resembles very much to a similar figure on the altar of another very important, hut, alas, a very little known site about 2 Km to the east of the Arg, known as (Char Taghi`. As the story goes, after Haftvad rebelled against the governing prince and killed him, he made a citadel and a fortress on a rock-hill to the west of the town, corresponding to the present site of the Arg.
After Haftvad was defeated and killed by Ardashir, the victorious king destroyed the main citadel in the fortress and built a fire-temple in it instead, which, it is believed, was turned into the existing main observation tower and the Char-Fasl building in the Islamic period. In any event, 2000 years of history, with all its ups and downs, with all its wars, internal strives, periods of peace, of calm, of blooming, of blood, of destructions, of developments, of massacres,.., have left their imprints on this site of history which cries out the transient nature of (being) and the external essence of the universe.
Walking through the ruins of the Arg, one feels as if every broken wall, every pass-way where people of centuries have walked through, where horses of history have run through, every little stone, every molecule of earth, recites along with Khayyam:
Think, in this battered Carvanserai Whose Doorways are alternate Night and Day How Sultan after Sultan with his romp Abode his Hour or two, and went his way The ruins of the Arg as a whole are so interesting, remarkable and mind arousing that it takes more than one visit to absorb and to appreciate the historical significance of the details. An attempt to introduce different parts of the Arg would require a huge volume.
However, as Mulffna says, (if the whole sea can`t be taken in, one may drink as much as his thirst would allow.`; so, here`s some very brief descriptions of` some of the more interesting parts:
1- The main (southern) gate: This is the only remaining gate of at least four gates.
2- The Bazaar or the main market place: Right after passing through the gate you enter a pass-way about 60 meters long which used to be the main bazaar of the town. Presumably built in the Safavid period, it had been a roofed bazaar, built, as it was the usual practice in the Safavid period, on a predrawn plan provided by the government.
This bazaar, which apparently was active up until early 14th cent. A.H. (early 20Lh cent. A.D.), had replaced some other ancient bazaars of the town, like the (Pol-e-Gargan), which Moghadassi (late 4th cent. AH, 10th cent. AD) has mentioned in Ahsan-al-Taghasim, but its whereabouts are obscure now.
It is noteworthy that Bam was a male commercial and trading town on the famous (Spice Road), a major tributary of the (Silk Road), connecting India, the Indian Ocean, the Omman - or the Arabian-sea, and the Persian Gulf to that main road of wealth of wealth and trade in the middle Ages. Bam was also a major center of textile industry in those days, known for its differnt fine fabrics all through the Islamic world.
3- The Grand Mosque, which was originally built in the Saffari period, 3rd. cent. AH (9th cent. AD), according to Prof. Pope, has gone through major changes in different periods.
4- The Stables and the Garrison or the Armory, both presumably built in the Saljouq or the Timurid period (6th or 8th cent. AH, 13th or 15th cent. AD).
5- The governor`s quarters and the Chahar-Fasl (Four Seasons) Building, and also the main observation tower, presumably belonging to the Safavid period (early 10th cent, mid 12th cent. AH, early 16th cent., mid 18th cent. AD) in their present forms. It is thought that the Chahar-Fasl and the main observation tower were originally a fire-temple of the pre-Islamic period.
These were some very fragmentary notes on just some of the more important parts of the Arg; as I said a rightful introduction of different parts of the Arg, even a thorough introduction of only the parts mentioned, would require a huge volume, as huge as the history itself, for this, the Arg, is the history itself. Let us just watch, and pass very gently by these ruins, because every spot that you put your foot on, there may lie a king, a swordsman, an old sage, a lover, a mother... Be careful, beware…
About Ganjali Khan Complex in Kerman province
Ganjali Khan was one of the famous rulers during the reign of Shah Abbas. As the ruler of Kerman province he constructed many monuments and buildings. Ganjali Khan complex is composed of a school, a square, a caravanseray, a public bath, a water reservoir, a mint house, a mosque and a bazaar. A number of inscriptions laid inside the complex indicate the exact date when these places have been built.
Out of Ganjali Khan complex, the Khan public bath located in the grand bazaar of Kerman serves as an anthropology museum today and attracts an increasing number of Iranian and foreign tourists. This is a unique work of architecture with beautiful tile works, paintings, stuccos, and arches.
The bath rendered service no later than 60 years ago. In the closet section and main yard of the bath there are many statues which are unbelievably interesting. These statues were designed at Tehran University`s faculty of fine arts in 1973 and then transferred to this museum.
This complex has been built during the Safavid era (1499 - 1723 AD) enjoying a modern architectural style of the time. This bath is an association of architecture and application of an array of constructional materials in an appropriate space with totally popular approaches. The architect of the bath and the complex is a master from Yazd city named Mohammad Sultani.
About Haj Ali Agha Mosque in Kerman province
This masjid comprises a portal, a minaret and Muadhins cage, a portico, a courtyard, a prayer-hall, a Shah-nishin (recess) and a Mihrab. In the prayer hall, there are forty stone columns in all, each 2 meters high and 90 centimeters in diameter.
In this respect, it bears close resemblance to the prayer hall of Masjid-e-Vakil in Shiraz.
The portal, minaret, maudhins cage and Mihrab of the Masjid are decorated with polychrome tiles and its prayer-hall is very remarkable.
Above the Mihrab, there is a tile inscription and its interior has been decorated with plaster and stalactite ornaments. Adjoining the Masjid, a water reservoir and a caravanserai have been constructed and are believed, have been founded by a certain Ali Aqa. The portal, and the southern, northern and western sides of the caravanserai have tile-work decorations.
On the whole, the complex of structures constituting the Chehil Sotun mosque and the nearby reservoir and caravanserai, and belonging to the Qajar period (1328 A.H. = 1910 A.D.), is one of the finest specimens of the 14th century A.H. architectural achievements.
About Jame Mosque (Kerman) in Kerman province
Masjid-i-Jami or Muzaffari is one of the historical monuments of the eighth century A.H. (A.D. 14th century), famous for its magnificent portal, its mihrab and mosaic-tile decorations, and its historic inscription, which bears the date A.H. 750 (A.D. 1349).
On the western side of the mosque, there is an ivan which originally dates from the times of Ali Muzaffar. However, the mosque has been repaired in later periods, including repairs of the main part of its mihrab, carried out in the reign of Shah Abbas II.
The south-western portal of the mosque also belongs to the Safavid period.
The minaret and the Muadhin`s cage of the Masjid have been repaired under Karim Khan Zand, and its mihrab is one of the outstanding parts of this monument.
Some essential repairs and decorative and tile works were completed in the S.H. year 1319 (A.D. 1940).
About Jebellieh in Kerman province
In the eastern section of Kerman city toward the Saheb-ol-Zaman mosque there is a stone - made dome known as Kobra dome. The dome`s plan is octagonal and on each side there are many arch vaults. There is no precise information on the construction date and application of the monument.
The architectural style of the monument, however, suggests that the dome can be attributed to late Sassanid era (266 - 651 AD), which has been later repaired during early Islamic period.
About Shazdeh Garden in Kerman province
Some 42 kilometers south-east of Kerman, the road passes through Mahan, a town well known in the 10th century A.D., here is located the Shazdeh Garden (The Prince Garden).
The edifice in the Garden was the summer residence of Qajar princes which is now restored and converted into a sumptuous restaurant.
The city of Kerman was founded during the reign of Ardeshir the First, a Sassanid king. In the Islamic time, Kerman was one of the important cultural centers of Iran. Foreigners have assaulted this city, in the course of history. In the past year there have been serious endeavors for the renovation historical monuments of this city. The important sites of the province are:
Bazaar of Kerman and Ganjali-Khan caravansarai and public bath which has been transformed into a museum;
Dokhtar and Ardeshir castles, a Sassanid monuments:
Jabalieh Dome a fire-temple from the Sassanid time;
Kabir Jame' Mosque and Sabz (Green) Dome, Which belong to the 9th century AH, and is the tomb of the Gharakhatai governors;
In addition to the above monuments, two other monuments in this province must be mentioned, located in Mahan and Bam. The mausoleum of Shah Nemat-ollah Vali famous Iranian Gnostic in Mahan. Its building, dome, and minarets are highly valuable from an artistic and architectural point of view. It is mainly the place of pilgrimage for Sufis from different sects.
Being a perfect sample of an eastern city, the city of Bam is highly valued from a tourism point of view. This city contains all components of an old eastern city, such as wall, bazaar, citadel, towers and other fortifications. The remains of the city of Bam (Arg), which is 2,000 years old, are extremely eye-catching. Recently modern recreational and accommodation facilities were established called "New Citadel of Bam".
Yazd Province :
Yazd province, in the center of Iran , is located between the latitudes 31 53' and 32 56' N. and longitudes 52 55' and 57 30' E.
It is bounded on the north and the west by Esfahan province, on the northeast by Khorasan province, on the southwest by Fars province and on the southeast by Kerman province.
Yazd has an area of 69,605 square kilometers and based on the 1995 divisions it has 7 counties named Yazd, Ardakan, Bafq, Taft, Abarkuh, Mehriz and Meybod, 16 towns, 14 rural districts and 38 villages.
The center of this province is Yazd.
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.
About Chak Chak in Yazd province
This important Zoroastrians fire-temple is on a hill 52 km to the north-northeast of Yazd. It attracts thousands of pilgrims for an annual festival, which lasts for ten days from the beginning of the third month after Nowrooz. To visit, it is best to get the permission of the religious authorities at the Atashkadeh in Yazd. The return trip, by a difficult stretch of road off the main route to Tabas.
About Yazd City Walls in Yazd province
In ancient Iran there were many types of public structures, from among which one may mention the achievement represented by city walls. The twelfth to fourteenth century walls of Yazd, which are still standing, are perhaps the most interesting, imposing and skillfully planned.
In Yazd, sections of the old walls and moat remain, providing an interesting example of a medieval wall, fortified by moat, towers and barbicans, now buried deep within a town which has long since expanded beyond its old limits. These walls were begun, it is said, in 1119 and rebuilt and extended during the 14th century. In places, they were 15 meters high, being nicely decorated with ornamental devices such as those employed on unglazed pottery.
About Yazd Bazaar in Yazd province
he bazaar of Yazd is of some interest; the many bazaars here are probably the best places in Iran to buy silk, brocades and cloth, the products which brought the town its prosperity. Yazd is also a good place for cakes and sweats (baghlava), although quite a lot of the tempting tooth-ratters on display are not actually made in the town.
The 12 historic of Yazd are worth a visit, the most important bazaars here are: Bazaar-e Khan:
Goldsmith bazaar; and panjeh Ali Bazaar.
The many bazaars here are probably the best places in Iran to buy silk fabric, cashmere, brocades and cloth (taffeta and Yazdi shawl) all with beautiful local designs, motifs, and colors, the products, which brought the town its prosperity. Try to take an Iranian guide with you.
About Dowlatabad Garden in Yazd province
The heat is blistering in the south, on the edge of the Great Desert. High chimneys acting as air-vents bring some comfort to these dwellings.
This is a complex built according to the original Iranian architectural style and consists of a large garden and some buildings.
Being watered by a qanat, until the very recent past it was used for the residence of the provincial governor, The most impressive part of the Complex are a 33-meter high bad-gir (wind tower) on the roof and a water stream in the interior.
The air was conducted into the interior and cooled through the action of the flowing water. Lattice doors and windows with stained glass patterns impart a pleasing sight to the Complex.
About Jame Mosque (Yazd) in Yazd province
Masjed-e Jam`s, also known as the Friday Mosque, like so many important mosques, was the focus of a complex of buildings of various periods and styles in various states of conservation.
The site of a Sassanian fire temple, its major features, however, were begun in 1324 and continuously developed for forty years.
There is no more impressive gateway in Iran that this great soaring 14-century edifice.
Crowned by a pair of minarets, the highest in Iran.
The portal`s faأ§ade is decorated from top to bottom in dazzling tile work, predominantly blue in color.
Inside there is a long arcaded court where, behind a deep-set southeast ivan, is a sanctuary chamber which, under a squat tiled dome, is exquisitely decorated with faience mosaic; its tall faience mihrab, dated 1365, is one of the finest of its kind in existence.
The tile work has recently been skillfully restored and a modern library built to house the mosque`s valuable collection of books and manuscripts.
By the side of the Masjed-e Jam`s, along a side street to the right, was the Vaqt Va Sa`at (Time and hour) complex, now reduced to the Shrine of Rokn od-Din, who was responsible for building the complex.
The observatory (which gave its name), a library, and a Madraseh, have all vanished.
About Mir Chaqmaq Mosque in Yazd province
This mosque is famous on account of its splendid portal and facade. It also possesses a huge dome and superb (Suffeh) (platform or ivan). Originally, the mosque was called Masjid-i-Jami or Masjid-i-Nau (New Mosque).
The portal inscription of the mosque is very valuable and according to its text, the construction of the Masjid has been completed through the zealous efforts of Bibi Fatima Khatun, wife of Amir Chaqmaq, governor of Yazd.
The Mihrab of the mosque, is of marble, bordered with mosaic tile decorations and verses from the Holy Koran, carved on marble.
Besides this mosque, Amir Jalal Al-din Chaqmaq has other constructions to his credit, such as the Khanegah (A.H. 830 = A.D. 1426), a caravanserai, public baths, a Maydan, and a Takyeh, all of which are known under his name.
On no account should you miss the fourteenth-century AD Masjed-e Amir Chakhmaq 0r Masjed-e jomeh (an exact contemporary of the Masjed-e Jams) next to the bazaar portal, famous for its superb portal ornamented with stucco, and the traditional four-ivan structure on a courtyard a little too small for the ivans. Originally, it was called Masjed-e Now (New Mosque).
The frieze on the portal has artistically very valuable calligraphy etched on it, according to which the mosque was built by the zealous efforts of Bibi Fatemeh Khatun, wife of Yazd governor Amir Jalal od-Din Chakhmaq. A marble mihrab has been installed, around which decorative tiles and verses of the Holy Koran have been etched over stone.
The mosque is very near to the Takieh-ye Mir Chakhmaq, a 19th century tiled edifice built to serve as a grandstand for the traditional passion play, or Tazieh, recording the martyrdom of the third Imam, Hossein that is acted during the mourning month of Muharram (lunar) is the Takieh, or special theater used for these performances, of which it formed part.
At present, the free space in front of the monument has been turned into the central square of the town, and has acquired a new appearance as a result of trees and flowers having been planted.
Actually, this represents one of the buildings of a historic complex incorporating a mosque, a public bath, a caravansary, a mausoleum, a Takieh, three water reservoirs, and a imposing entrance to one Yazd`s bazaars.
About Tower of Silence in Yazd province
Dakhmeh or Qol-ye 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
About Twelve Imam Shrine in Yazd province
laster, Further from the center can be found the splendid early 12th century Shrine of the Twelve Imams (Maghbareh-ye Davazdah Emam), properly described as a funerary mosque.
It is almost next door to the Zendan-e Eskandar (Alexander`s Prison, a deep, circular, brick-lined pit about 10m in diameter) and has a fine 3-line Kuffic inscription inside, with the names of each of the Shiite Imams, none of whom is buried here, Although the mausoleum is small, dusty and forgotten, it is nonetheless a well preserved building of the period. There are some interesting plaster moldings on the mihrab, and the brick dome is a good early example of its kind. The Maghbareh is locked, but the doorkeeper at Zendan-e Eskandari next door will take you in. Don`t forget to give him a tip of at least 500 Rials. It would be also good to have a guide or taxi driver with you.
About Yazd Museum in Yazd province
The Mirror-Palace Archaeological Complex in Ayatollah Kashani Avenue, with a built-up area 837 square meters, stand in a beautiful garden and was previously used as the private guest house. It includes impressive structures such as a large vestibule, a Howz Khaneh (fountain hall), a gallery, and several rooms.
Following the victory of Islamic Revolution, the ensemble was confiscated, and partially transformed into the present museum. Here you can see antiquities, calligraphic works, weapons, stamp, Lurestan bronzes, etc.
About Mausoleum of Seyed Rokn od-din in Yazd province
This Bagh (mausoleum belongs to the 14th century AD and consists of a portal, a fine cupola covered with enameled tiles, and an inscription in Kuffic calligraphy. Inside the cupola, three are brick decorations, and construction of the mausoleum has been attributed to Amir Rokn od-Din Mohammad Qazi.
Before becoming a mausoleum, it was known as the Masjed-e Mosalla-ye Atiq.
Yazd is one of the ancient cities of Iran and is the best sample of the cities in the desert (Kavir). In this city, everything is the symbol of movement, activity, social life and the struggle against natural limitations. Moreover, the name of Yazd is reminiscent of original artistic vestiges of Iran. The hand-made products of Yazd, especially textiles,which had a worldwide reputation due to their quality and artistic nature before the introduction of textile machinery, still have their own unique quality as well as their special customers.
The dominant socioeconomic condition of the city is such that there is a minimum rate of crime, consequently it is a unique city from security point of view. Religious minorites live there, like other parts of the country, without any problem.
The architectural style in Yazd is monotonous and is the sign of equilibrium in its social life. Utilization of simple construction materials in building houses is a common principle. Struggle against environmental constraints in a desert area is reflected in making use of traditional styles of architecture, in building of Badgirs (wind trappers) on the roofs against the wind direction for ventilation and air conditioning in the summer.
This city has its own architectural style, in which narrow alleys are build in wide and newly constructed streets, with high and connected walls, portraying a unique method in urban planning and design. The delicacy of architectural monouments in Yazd is unique in its quality; thus they hold a high artistic value. The most important and valuable historical monuments, which may be visited in Yazd and other cities of the province are as follows:
Yazd Jame' Mosque belonging to the first half of the 8th century AH.;
The mosques of Amir Chakhmakh, Rig, and Faart;
Davazdah Emam (12 Imams) Mausoleum;
Zendan Eskandar (Alexander's Prison);
Yazdan Fire-Temple;
Dolat Abad garden and its pavilions;
Khan Square, Bazaar and Garden.
Yazd is home to the largest number of Iranian Zoroastrians, They have lived in this city for more than a thousand years. The other towns of the province are Maybod, Taft, Bafgh, Ardekan, and Mehriz each of which has many sites worth seeing.
The scarcity of water in Yazd and Kerman has caused the development of Qanats (underground canals with connected wells for collection of water). The length of some Qanats exceeds 1,000 kilometers, which is another architectural innovation worth studying.