The picturesque city of Yazd is a well-preserved mud-brick old town with distinctive wind-catchers, and numbers of historical sites. One of the most interesting points about the city is its unique architecture, where you can find old houses with a magnificent platform and interior design. 

The best silk weaving textile called Termeh is the main product of the city, which is a brocades textile made with traditional Iranian patterns. There is a different type of local pastry in Yazd, as an example Baqlava, Pashmak, and Qutab. The traditional cuisine of the city is Ash-e Shooli which is a delicious Persian soup made with spinach, parsley, leek, fenugreek, and beetroot seasoned with vinegar or pomegranate paste.

If you are planning to visit Iran, Yazd should be included in your itinerary for sure. In this article, we are going to introduce the best places to visit in Yazd.

Amir Chakhmaq Complex

The Amir Chakhmaq complex is situated at the heart of the city which can be considered as a centerpiece, and the plaza where people spend their time every evening. The imposing three-story facade flaunts a number of beautifully symmetrical iwans, which lighten up and glow after sunset. The complex is also used as a place for religious events, for instance, Ashura, and Arbain which both are commemorative ceremonies for Imam Hossein’s death.

All around the complex are shops which serve ice cream, local pastry, and handmade items of the city.

Old Town

The old part of the city is a well-preserved, and still inhabited district with its interconnected alleys which is one of the oldest towns on earth. The yellow-brown color of the mud-brick which is used in buildings demonstrate how dry this city is. By walking through the alleys you will enjoy seeing wind-catchers rising above a labyrinth of adobe roofs. The historic old city of Yazd was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017.

Jame Mosque

One of the monuments which are visible from every corner of the city is the Jame Mosque. This 14th–century monument has the highest minarets in the country, with Iranian-Islamic architecture. The delicate blue-mosaic tile-work and Quranic bring great interior design to the place which ranges from the beginning of the Islamic era to the restoration in the 14th-century. A number of elements at the mosque dated back to the 12th century, as an example the intricacies and inscriptions of the grand iwan.

Bagh-E Dowlatabad

The same as every Persian Garden in the country, there are numbers of fountains, symmetry and dotted with trees such as cypress trees in the garden. In addition to these, there are pomegranates trees in the garden which are perfect for the climate of the city. It is said that the residence was built at the 18th-century with the highest wind-catcher in the country. The 33-meter central wind-catcher and stained-glass windows bring a magical idiosyncratic aesthetic to the place. The place was the residency of Mohammad Taghi Khan-e Bafghi, a ruler during the Zand dynasty.

The garden was listed as World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2011, as one of the nine Persian Garden.

Zoroastrian Fire Temple

Zoroastrianism is an ancient monotheistic religion which dates back to approximately 3500 years ago, which was the main religion in Persia at the time. The city of Yazd can be considered as the center of Zoroastrianism in Iran where you can find several sites of religious and historic interest. The Fire Temple in Yazd is one of the most important ones since the central fire is said to have been burning for over 1,500 years.

The temple is a National Heritage site and opens for tourists except during the religious events. When visiting the place, preferably wear white or light-colored clothing as a respect to the place.

Towers of Silence

The other fascinating Zoroastrian site which is located outside the town is Towers of Silence. These two circular towers raised from a solemn desert landscape, which was in accordance with tradition, the bodies of deceased Zoroastrians were left in the towers’ central pits for scavenger birds to pick at till the 1960s.

At the place, you will have the possibility to understand the tradition of Zoroastrians, after a person dies. They believed the body must have been taken away from alive human and left at the place to ensure purity and peace for the person. When visiting the area, you will notice small houses which were used for relatives of the deceased to stay and mourn in while selected individuals took the body to the tower.

Yazd Water Museum

The magnificent item in Yazd is the underground water supplement system named Kariz or Qanat which was listed by UNESCO in 2016 as a World Heritage Site. The museum, which displays the 2000 years irrigation system has been in operation to describe the drilling of mother wells, and the use of water distribution clocks.

Saheb A Zaman Zurkhaneh

The cavernous water reservoir was built around 1580, which crowned with five burly wind-catchers. This impressive piece of architecture stored water for much of the city until modern irrigation made it redundant. Recently a new purpose was considered for the building and it turned to a house of strength in which men exercise Pahlavani and Zoorkhaneh rituals using heavy wooden clubs.

The ritual has been nominated and selected by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of Iran in 2010. It has named differently as ‘varzesh-e pahlavani’ 'heroic sport' or ‘varzesh-e bastani’ 'ancient sport'. In Iran the first of July is known as a respect day of Pahlavani and Zoorkhaneh rituals.

Khan Bazaar

The Khan Bazaar is the oldest bazaar in the city, and one of the oldest ones in the country. The bazaar built at the 9th-century, in which you will find textiles and handwoven cloth made traditionally in Yazd for centuries. Recently, the bazaar has expanded into the main Bazaar of Yazd.

Zein-O-Din Caravanserai

If you are looking to spend a night in the desert this place is the best option. Zein-o-Din Caravanserai is a classic small caravanserai built on the orders of Shah Abbas I. This caravanserai has been renovated and turned into a fine hotel where you can relive the experience of traveling on the Silk Road.