A visual journey through the city of windcatchers
If you are visiting for a Razmehr course, make the city part of your journey too. Earthen lanes, gardens and historic buildings are waiting to be explored.
RAZMEHR · YAZD
The 1956 aerial photograph shows the compact city and its network of lanes. The later view brings us down to the earthen walls and shaded passages. UNESCO recognizes Yazd for its earthen architecture, windcatchers and qanat water system, shaped by a dry climate.
Amir Chakhmaq is part of Yazd's shared urban memory and ceremonial life. Its tiered façade appears in both the 1970 archive photograph and a 2016 view. The square and surrounding structures remain among the city's best-known landmarks.
In Fahadan, Ziaieh School is also popularly called ‘Alexander's Prison’. That name should not be taken as proof that it served as a prison in Alexander's time. The photographs show the building in the 1970s and in 2016.
28 / YAZD
From the heart of the old city to the towns and villages beyond, find places worth making time for.
RAZMEHR · YAZD
Walk among Fahadan's shaded passages, earthen walls and traditional houses.
The mosque's soaring entrance and tilework make it a landmark of old Yazd.
Water, trees and a tall windcatcher shape the experience of this Persian garden.
The fire temple offers a glimpse into Yazd's living Zoroastrian heritage.
On the hills outside the city, the towers recall former Zoroastrian funerary practices.
In a historic house, the museum traces how qanats sustained life in an arid city.
Mirrored decoration and lighting objects offer a different view of Yazd's decorative arts.
Its courtyard, windcatchers and surrounding rooms evoke life in a traditional Yazd home.
This domed brick shrine is a memorable stop on a walk through the old city.
The bazaar's passages preserve the atmosphere of trading in historic Yazd.
Six windcatchers rising above this cistern form a distinctive Yazd silhouette.
The clock structure and nearby lanes make this square an easy stop during a city walk.
This historic merchant's house retains the feel of an urban courtyard residence.
Surviving stretches of wall evoke the boundaries of the earlier city.
The Zarch qanat is part of Yazd's long story of adapting to scarce water.
This adobe citadel rises above Meybod and defines part of its skyline.
Meybod's adobe icehouse recalls ways of storing ice in a hot desert climate.
The dovecote's many nesting spaces reveal a practical side of local architecture.
Set against the mountains, Chak Chak is a Zoroastrian pilgrimage site.
Kharanaq's earthen lanes and old village fabric offer another face of the region.
The ancient cypress is a beloved natural landmark of Abarkuh.
Its windcatcher and courtyard make Aghazadeh House a memorable Abarkuh landmark.
In Mehriz, trees and flowing water invite a pause at Pahlavanpur Garden.
Saryazd's adobe walls and inner passages make the fortress worth a detour.
Fahraj's brick mosque offers a quiet stop while exploring villages near Yazd.
Coming to Razmehr to learn? Leave some time to discover Yazd as well. Every lane offers another reason to linger.
