Amir Chakhmakh , this is how the main square of the city of Yazd is called. It bears the name of its builder, the governor of Yazd in the 15th century, under the rein Timurid.
Built as a complex, including among others a bazaar, a mosque and a cistern. Its arcaded facade with its minarets were added in the 19th century.
The changes made have given the place the appearance of Hosseinieh(
place of commemoration of the martyrdom of Imam Hossein, a high religious figure of Shiite Islam) normally constructed in Yazd.
On the square, in front of the facade with multiple arches, sits a sort of ceremonial wooden structure, this object named Nakhl (palm tree), is decorated in black during the Moharam ceremonies, and is carried on the shoulder by the men themselves dressed in black. This procession marks the culmination of the commemoration ceremonies.

Fahadan: The Soul and Spirit of Oriental Adobe Neighborhoods

Have you ever watched the Disney’s “Aladdin” or played the video-game “Prince of Persia”? If so, didn’t you dream of jumping roofs along with your brave heroes to save the beautiful princess from evil hands? Yes!? So, join us to go and visit Fahadan in the city of Yazd, a neighborhood which could be the location of one these cartoons and at least partially realize your dream.

Fahadan, the largest adobe neighborhood in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017, is located in the heart of Yazd city. Travelers reviewing their memories from this historical neighborhood would always tell you of its long and high adobe walls, sābāts (roofed passageways), magnificent houses with marvelous wind-catchers, traditional workshops producing handicrafts and textiles, amazing mosques, religious schools and finely-decorated shrines. However, what is most striking for all of these visitors is the warm and hospitable attitude of the people living in this old neighborhood; inhabitants whose patience, hard work and perseverance has kept this old neighborhood alive, making it one of the most appealing tourist attractions in Iran.

Well, if you would like to know more about this awe-inspiring neighborhood, please continue reading our article.

Some Points You Need to Know about the Fahadan Neighborhood

            Well, as the architectural style of Fahadan neighborhood reveals, it is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city of Yazd. Based on historical evidence, this neighborhood was the residence of influential Yazdi people, thus providing us with one of the meanings of Fahadan: “Wise Men.” Also, signifying “cheetah,” it is believed that certain people in this neighborhood were in the peculiar business of training cheetahs.

The prominence of Fahadan as the beating heart of Yazd is also evident in being surrounded by significant monuments such as Bazaar-e No and Vaght-o-Sa’at Square on its southern side and Kooshk-e No and Shah Abolqasem Tomb on its western wing.

More importantly, Fahadan itself is spotted with more than 25 historical, architectural and cultural attractions, adding to its splendor and significance. In what follows, you will get acquainted with some of these gems you should not miss visiting while exploring Fahadan neighborhood.

Must-See Sights in Fahadan Neighborhood

Jameh Mosque of Yazd (the Grand Congregational Mosque of Yazd)

            Just at the entrance of the Fahadan Neighborhood, there is located the Jameh Mosque of Yazd whose eye-catching beauty will no doubt mesmerize. It is believed that the mosque is founded on the ruins of a Zoroastrian fire temple, stretching its history back to pre-Islamic times.

However, what would grab your attention at first glance are the mosque’s two soaring minarets, allegedly the tallest minarets belonging to a mosque in Iran, each one 52 meters in height.

Inside, the dome chamber and its fantastic faience work make the most attractive part of the mosque. Usually, visitors spend a good deal of time taking photos while framed by these works of art to upload on their social media.

            Another interesting part of the mosque is the water-cistern and its long flight of stairs, putting your fitness on trial to reach water.

Alexander’s Prison or Ziyaiyeh School

Walking through the winding alleys of Fahadan neighborhood will eventually get you to a square where some of the oldest buildings in Yazd impatiently await your visit.  One of these buildings, whose history has been mixed with myth, is the Alexander Prison or Ziāiyeh School.

According to legend, having conquered the land of Persians, Alexander made up his mind to build a prison in which to keep the defeated prisoners of war. Considering different options, nowhere suited his plan better than Yazd, an arid, parched land whose geographic location made it an inaccessible land. And so Alexander’s Prison came into being.

However, it seems that the appearance of the name “Alexander’s Prison” in the historical chronicles of the Safavid period is inspired by Hafez’s famous couplet:

“I am upset over the horrors of Alexander’s Prison

Fading away to Solomon’s Kingdom”

In which the poet compares Yazd to Alexander’s Prison and Shiraz, his hometown, to Solomon’s Kingdom.

As a matter of fact, an examination of historical sources reveals that this monument was constructed as a school under the patronage of Mowlana Zia al-Din in the year 1234. Soaring high toward the sky, the adobe dome of Ziaiyeh school, decorated with splendid stucco work and water-color paintings, represents one the best pieces of architecture from the Mongol period in Iran. In addition to its dome and dome chamber, the school includes three porches, several different rooms and an underground water-cistern whose dark and scary ambience makes it look like a dungeon.

Today, the school hosts various handicraft workshops and there you can find marvelous souvenirs for your loved ones not having the opportunity to visit Iran.

The Tomb of Twelve Imams 

            The Tomb of Twelve Imams is one of the oldest monuments in Fahadan, built in the 11th century. The tomb has a simple quadruple plan with a brick dome. According to Arthur Upham Pope, the significance of the building lies in solving the problem of placing a semi-circular dome on a quadrilateral foundation. In the previous buildings, the area of transference was not strong enough to bear the downward pressure of a heavy dome, but in the Tomb of Twelve Imams this engineering problem is overcome in the best way possible, resulting in the construction of a perfect dome on a quadruple base.

The function of the monument is actually a bit vague. Some people believe that it is the burial place of a scared person, others are of the opinion that the building was used as a Khaneqah, or a gathering place for mystics and dervishes.

Lariha House   

            Lariha House is one of the most beautiful mansions in Fahadan, located in the vicinity of Alexander’s Prison and Tomb of Twelve Imams. This Qajarid (19th century) mansion was actually a complex of six houses, built by Haj Mohammad Lāri, a rich, powerful businessman from Shiraz city who came to Yazd for trade purposes.

Following the general plan of desertic houses, Lariha House boasts amazing sash windows, splendid mirror works and eye-catching paintings. The highlight of the house is its “Otagh-e Aroosi” or “Bridal Room,” decorated with European-style paintings of women.

In addition to enjoying the artistic beauties of the mansion, you will also get acquainted with traditional ways of marriage in Iran as the mansion also functions as a museum, putting on display the marriage documents of long gone couples who tied the knot years and years ago.

All in all, wandering through the winding paths of Fahadan neighborhood, visiting its historical monuments, spending some time in its traditional workshops and drinking a cup of coffee in one of its cozy coffeeshops makes one of the most pleasant days during your adventures in Iran. I am sure you would never forget your delightful moments in Fahadan Neighborhood.

Yazd Towers of Silence: Two Zoroastrian Soaring Graveyards   

Yazd is one of the major tourist attractions in Iran not only because of housing the largest adobe neighborhood in the world (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), but also because of hosting a Zoroastrian minority whose unique way of life has contributed largely to fame of this old city.

In another article, we have extensively talked about the Fire Temple of Yazd, the house of the ancient religion of Iran, Zoroastrianism. In this article, we are going to tell you about a Zoroastrian’s journey to his/her permanent house after life. To achieve this goal, in this article we explore the old graveyard of Zoroastrians in Yazd, called Dakhmeh (Dakhma) or Towers of Silence, and also the death rituals performed there.

So, make sure to read our article to learn whatever you need to know before setting foot in this unique Zoroastrian land of the dead, The Towers of Silence.

Khorshid Negareshi or the Zoroastrian Death Ritual

            Zoroastrianism was the state religion of Iran during the rule of the Achaemenid and Sassanian dynasties. As part of their religious code, Zoroastrians believed in the purity of the four fundamental elements of the universe, that is, the air, the earth, the wind and the fire. Consequently, polluting these four essential elements was considered a grave sin.

In this context, the corpse of a dead person was considered as the greatest pollutant of the four elements. But why? Well, Zoroastrians saw a live human body as the house of a pure spirit. However, whenever the death intervened, this pure spirit left the body, giving up his abode to an impure, satanic one. Obviously, this impurity was not allowed to touch the four pure elements. Therefore, instead of burying their dead, throwing them into the water or cremating them, Zoroastrians left the dead bodies on high places to be scavenged by vultures and dried by sun and, finally, washed away from the surface of the Earth. Among Zoroastrians, this process is known as “Khorshid Negareshi” or “observed by the sun.”

To perform the ritual of “Khorshid Negareshi,” certain structures were also needed to be built. These secluded monuments, a mysterious stretch of land in the realm of death, came to be known as “Dakhmeh.”

The appellation “Towers of Silence,” used mostly by Western writers, is said to be coined by Robert Murphy, a translator for the British colonial government of India in early 19th century.

The structure of Towers of Silence

As mentioned before, towers of silence were build atop hills or low mountains, outside the surrounding villages or towns, to keep people away from poisonous gases emanating from the decomposing bodies. Generally speaking, towers of silence were circular in shape, fenced with high walls constructed out of stone and cement and equipped with a low iron door for entry and exit.

The inner area of the tower was basically divided into three concentric circles or “Pavis”: the outer, largest pavi was dedicated to the bodies of men, the middle one to women and the inner pavi, the smallest one, to babies and kids.

These stone-carpeted divisions were slightly sloped toward a well in the middle of the tower, known as “Ostoudan” or “Saradeh.” Functionally, ostoudan was used as an ossuary. Actually, when the bodies were scavenged by birds like vultures and bleached by the sun, the bones were collected and thrown into the ostoudan.

Additionally, the main ostoudan was connected to four other wells through different tunnels. Dug outside and around the main tower, these wells were filled with coal. So, whenever it rained, the water washing the pavis and the bones in the ostoudan was channeled to these extra wells and purified by passing through the piles of coal. In this way, the area surrounding the tower was kept clean.

But, how did people get to the towers? Well, reaching the towers was made possible by a long flight of stone stairs, taking people from the foot of the hill or mountain to its peak.

A Short History of Yazd Towers of Silence

            The Towers of Silence in Yazd actually includes two towers: 1. Manokji Limooj Haterya and,2. Golestan. Below we give you a brief history of these two towers, built during the 19th and 20th centuries.

1. Manokji Limooj Haterya

This Dakhmeh was built by Manokji Limooj Haterya, a Parsee living in India, in 1856. At its entrance, on a stone inscription, the date and name of its founder were mentioned. Furthermore, at the entrance of the dakhmeh, there is a chamber. Earlier, there was another stone inscription mentioning the construction of building by Manojki. In the inscription, Muslims and Zoroastrians are advised not to touch the corpse of their dead person according to their documented reports.

Maokji Dakhmeh is built with stone. Its interior is divided into three parts, as we mentioned before. The floor of the dakhmeh is flat and paved. Its interior diameter is 28.40 m and the ossuary’s diameter is 10 m.

2. Golestan Dakhmeh

This monument was built as a circular tower in 1931. The tower’s diameter is 29.40 m and the diameter of the ossuary is 5.40 m. To reach Golestan Tower, you should ascend a rocky road, about 2 meters wide. The tower is constructed out of stone, but the walls are covered with thatch and plaster. There is a brick chamber next to the entrance of the dakhmeh. It seems it was used by the tower’s guard or for arranging the ceremony before putting the corpse into the tower. The walls of the tower are three meters high.

Other Structures Found in Yazd Towers of Silence

Entering Yazd Towers of Silence, in addition to the main two towers mentioned above, you will notice a number of structures scattered at the foot of the hills. Taken together, these monuments make a complex known as Kheyleh, used during the mourning ceremony or “Porsea” of the departed person. The monuments include:

1. Water Cistern: The Kheyleh in Yazd Towers of Silence includes a water-cistern, biasting two delicately designed brick-lattice wind-catchers. To reach the water, you have to descend two flights of stairs; the first one composed of thirty steps and the second one of fifteen steps. This water-cistern was built by Fereydoun Khosrow Ghasemabadi in memory of his wife, Nasrin Rashidi.
2. Fire Temple: Adjacent to the dakhmeh, there used to be a conical fire temple, housing the sacred court fire. Whenever a person died, the guard attending the fire temple kept the court fire alight for three days in memory of the deceased. For this reason, the guards were also called “fire burners”.
3. a room for the fire temple’s guard,
4. a room for Nesa-Salar,
5. rooms to hold the mourning ceremonies,
6. rooms for storing the corpse and antiseptic material,
7. and, finally, several shafts to which people fastened their animals.

Zoroastrian Funerary Ceremony

            When a Zoroastrian person passed away, his relatives closed their eyes, put their hand on the chest and folded their legs up to his knees in order to be placed in a casket and carried easily.

Then, he was washed at home and put on the ground or an iron bed to be covered with a nine-folded clean shroud. Then, those present recited some parts of the Avesta or Gahanbar as a requiem for the departed.

After these ceremonies at home, the corpse carriers or “Pishgahanan” carried the dead bodies to dakhmeh. The number of attending pishgahanan was always even, that is, two, four or six.

In dakhmeh, they put the corpse in the hands of Nesa-Salar. The male nesasalar washed the males and the female nesasalar washed the females. Then, the corpse was put in a metal casket called “Gahn” or “Gahan” and taken to the main tower to go to his eternal abode.

In the past days, to ensure that a dead person was really dead, Zoroastrians put a sacred loaf of bread, called “Draona”, on the chest of the deceased. Afterwards, they brought a dog to corpse. If the trained dog didn’t eat the bread, they understood that the person was for example in comma as a result of a stroke. But if the dog took the bread, it meant that there was no cause to doubt the death of the departed. So, the corpse was carried to dakhmeh.

Before reaching the dakhmeh, there was a building in which the dead person’s relatives offered food, fruits and drinks for the forgiveness of the dead soul. There, as the last step, the pries read a special prayer from Ahunavaiti Gathas before the corpse.

The New Cemetery of Zoroastrians  

            The ceremony of Khorshi-Negareshi continued until the years 1318 and 1319. However, when Reza Khan came to power, Zoroastrians were prevented to use the towers of silence in certain cities such as Tehran. Consequently, Zoroastrians began burying the dead in graves, fortified with cement and rock in order to avoid the contamination of the soil. It is believed that Zoroastrians stopped using the towers since the 1320s in Kerman and since the 1340s in Yazd. However, there are some who believe that the dakhmehs were closed in Yazd in the year 1350.