Yazd

Yazd (Persian: یزد) is a historic city and the capital of Yazd province, in Iran and a center of Zoroastrian culture. The city is located some 175 miles southeast of Isfahan. In 2006 it had an estimated population of 505,037. Because of generations of adaptation to its desert surroundings, Yazd is an architecturally unique city. It is also known in Iran for the high quality handicrafts, especially silk weaving, and its sweets shops.

The city has a 3000 year long history, dating back to the time of the Median empire, when it was known as Ysatis (or Issatis). The present city name, however, may have been derived from Yazdegerd I, a Sassanid ruler. The city was definitely a Zoroastrian center during Sassanid times. After the Islamic conquest of Persia, many Zoroastrians fled to Yazd from neighbouring provinces. The city remained Zoroastrian even after the conquest by paying a levy, and only gradually did Islam come to be the dominant religion in the city.

Yazd is of foremost importance as a center of Persian architecture. Because of its climate, it has one of the largest networks of qanats in the world, and Yazdi qanat makers are considered the most skilled in Iran. To deal with the extremely hot summers, many old buildings in Yazd have magnificent windcatchers, and large underground areas. The city is also home to prime examples of yakhchals, the latter of which were used to store ice retrieved from glaciers the nearby mountains. Yazd is also one of the largest cities built almost entirely out of adobe.