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Yazd, Iran
Yazd sits in the middle of the Iranian desert plateau, and its architecture has evolved over millennia to cope with extreme heat. The badgirs (wind towers) that punctuate the skyline are ancient air-conditioning systems that funnel cool breezes into houses below. The old town is a maze of narrow covered lanes, mud-brick walls, and sudden openings into turquoise-tiled mosques and courtyard gardens. The Jame Mosque of Yazd has the tallest portal in Iran, flanked by twin minarets tiled in intricate geometric patterns. The Amir Chakhmagh Complex, with its three-tiered facade of arched alcoves, is especially dramatic when illuminated at night. Yazd is the center of Zoroastrianism in Iran — the Atashkadeh fire temple contains a flame said to have been burning continuously since 470 AD, and the Towers of Silence on the city outskirts were used for sky burials until the 1960s. The Dowlatabad Garden houses the tallest badgir in the world at 33 meters.
explore by interest
The old town's lanes are intentionally maze-like — embrace getting lost, as every turn reveals a new wind tower, carved doorway, or hidden courtyard. The covered passages provide welcome shade.
March through May and October through November offer comfortable temperatures. Summer exceeds 40 degrees Celsius and winter nights can be bitterly cold.