Iran - Andrew Burke [209]
Jameh Mosque
The magnificent Jameh Mosque (Masjed-e Jameh; Masjed-e Jameh St) dominates the old city. Its tiled entrance portal is one of the tallest in Iran, flanked by two magnificent 48m-high minarets and adorned with an inscription from the 15th century. The exquisite mosaics on the dome and mihrab, and the tiles above the main western entrance to the courtyard are particularly stunning.
Built for Sayyed Roknaddin in the 15th century, it’s on the site of a 12th-century building believed to have itself replaced an earlier fire temple. In the courtyard of the mosque there is a stairwell leading down to part of the Zarch Qanat, used these days for ritual ablutions. For a small tip, the caretaker will allow you down. The guys at Friendly Internet Café Click here can arrange access to the roof, usually in the late afternoon.
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THE QANAT
For at least 2000 years Iranians have been digging qanats (underground water channels) to irrigate crops and supply drinking water. To build a qanat you first need to find an underground water source. This source could be more than 100m deep, but as the whole system is reliant on gravity the source must be higher than the final destination. Then you dig a tunnel just wide and tall enough to crawl along, so the water can flow across an extremely shallow gradient to its destination. The mounds of soil you’ll see in long lines across the desert are the top of wells, dug to dispose of excavated soil and allow ventilation. Because of the hazards and expense of constructing a qanat, complex laws govern every aspect of their use and maintenance. Iran is thought to have more than 50,000 qanats. While modern irrigation projects now take priority, qanats and other traditional methods of supplying water are still very important. And as hundreds of towns and villages – including Bam, Kashan and Mahan – still rely on qanats for water, the highly skilled and well-paid qanat builders of Yazd won’t be picking up redundancy cheques for many years yet.
For the lowdown on qanats, head for the impressive Yazd Water Museum ( 626 8340; Amir Chakhmaq Sq; admission IR10,000; 8am-7pm), located in a restored mansion that happens to have a qanat or two underneath. The displays are clear and mostly in English.
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Bogheh-ye Sayyed Roknaddin
The beautiful blue-tiled dome of the Bogheh-ye Sayyed Roknaddin (Mausolem of Sayyed Roknaddin; off Masjed-e Jameh St; 8am-1pm & 4-8pm Sat-Thu, 10am-noon Fri), the tomb of local Islamic notable Sayyed Roknaddin Mohammed Qazi, is visible from any elevated point in the city. Built 700 years ago, the dome is notable but the deteriorating interior stucco and other decoration remains impressive. The door is often closed but a knock should bring the caretaker.
Khan-e Lari
The 150-year-old Khan-e Lari (admission IR2000; 7am-6pm, to 8pm summer) is one of the best-preserved Qajar-era houses in Yazd. The badgirs, traditional doors, stained-glass windows, elegant archways and alcoves mark it out as one of the city’s grandest homes. The merchant family who built it have long gone, and it’s now home to architecture students and cultural heritage officers. It’s signposted west of Zaiee Sq; see the walking tour Click here for directions.
Alexander’s Prison
This 15th-century domed school is known as Alexander’s Prison (Zaiee Sq; admission IR2000; 8am-sunset, 8am-1pm & 4pm-sunset summer) because of a reference to this apparently dastardly place in a Hafez poem. Whether the deep well in the middle of its courtyard was in fact built by Alexander the Great and used as a dungeon seems doubtful, no matter what your guide tells you. Recently renovated, the building itself is worth a look for the small display