Because of generations of adaptations to its desert surroundings, Yazd is known for itsPersian architecture. It is nicknamed the "City ofWindcatchers" (شهر بادگیرهاShahr-e Badgirha) from its many examples. It is also very well known for itsZoroastrianfire temples,ab anbars (cisterns),qanats (underground channels),yakhchals (coolers),Persian handicrafts,handwoven cloth (Persian termeh),silk weaving,Persian cotton candy, and its time-honored confectioneries. Yazd is also known as City of Bicycles, because of its old history of bike riders, and the highest number of bicycles per capita in Iran. It is reported thatbicycle culture in Iran originated in Yazd as a result of contact with European visitors and tourists in the last[which?] century.[8]
Archeological evidence 12 kilometers north of Yazd suggests that the area has been populated since the period of theAchaemenid Empire (550 BC–330 BC).[10] In hisNatural History,Pliny the Elder (died 79 AD) mentions a town in theParthian Empire (247 BC–224 AD) named "Issatis", which is seemingly connected to the name of theAsagarta/Istachae/Sagartians.[11] As a result, some scholars have suggested that the name of Yazd was derived from Issatis (also transliterated as Isatichae, Ysatis, Yasatis), and that the latter name started to be used in theMedian or Achaemenid eras.[12]
The area encompassing Yazd first started to gain prominence in theLate antiquity, namely under theSasanian Empire (224–651). UnderYazdegerd I (r. 399–420), a mint was established in Yazd (under the mint abbreviation of "YZ"), which demonstrates its increasing importance.[13] According to theNew Persian chronicleTarikh-i Yazd ("History of Yazd") of 1441, Yazd was re-founded by "Yazdegerd, son of Bahram", i.e.Yazdegerd II (r. 438–457).[14] The wordyazd means God.[15] After theMuslim conquest, many Zoroastrians migrated to Yazd from neighboring provinces. By paying a levy, Yazd was allowed to remain Zoroastrian even after its conquest, andIslam only gradually became the dominant religion in the city.
Due to its secluded desert setting and challenging access, Yazd was mostly spared from major conflicts and the devastation and havoc of warfare. For instance, it was a haven for those fleeing from destruction in other parts of theKhwarazmian Empire during theMongol invasion. In 1272 it was visited byMarco Polo, who remarked on the city's finesilk-weaving industry. In the bookThe Travels of Marco Polo, he described Yazd in the following way:
It is a good and noble city, and has a great amount of trade. They weave there quantities of a certain silk tissue known as Yasdi, which merchants carry into many quarters to dispose of. When you leave this city to travel further, you ride for seven days over great plains, finding harbour to receive you at three places only. There are many fine woods producing dates upon the way, such as one can easily ride through; and in them there is great sport to be had in hunting and hawking, there being partridges and quails and abundance of other game, so that the merchants who pass that way have plenty of diversion. There are also wild asses, handsome creatures. At the end of those seven marches over the plain, you come to a fine kingdom which is calledKerman.
Yazd briefly served as the capital of theMuzaffarid Dynasty in the fourteenth century, and was unsuccessfully besieged in 1350–1351 by theInjuids under Shaikh Abu Ishaq. The Friday (or Congregation) mosque, arguably the city's greatest architectural landmark, as well as other important buildings, date to this period. During theQajar Empire (18th century AD) it was ruled by theBakhtiari Khans.
Under the rule of theSafavid Empire (16th century), some people migrated from Yazd and settled in an area that is today on the Iran-Afghanistan border. The settlement, which was named Yazdi, was located in what is nowFarah City in theprovince of the same name inAfghanistan. Even today, people from this area speak with an accent very similar to that of the people of Yazd.
One of the notable things about Yazd is its family-centered culture. According to official statistics from Iran's National Organization for Civil Registration, Yazd is among the three cities with the lowest divorce rates in Iran.[citation needed]
The majority of the people of Yazd arePersians. They speakPersian with a Yazdi accent, which is different from the Persian accent ofTehran.
During the Pahlavi era, a large group of Kurds from the Gulbaghi tribe were moved from the north ofKurdistan province to the city of Yazd and the cities of Isfahan, Kashan, and Nayin. Today, the Gulbaghi tribe are mostly assimilated elements in the population of these cities.[17][18]
The majority of people in Yazd areShia Muslims. Yazd is a strongly religious, traditionalist and conservative city.[19] Several city traditions are the Muslim parades and gatherings, which are mainly processions calledazadari held to commemorate the events experienced by the main Islamic martyrs and other important figures. These huge public gatherings created a series of spaces which, since most are near important urban monuments, are used at other times as hubs from which visitors can tour the main spots in the city.[20]
There is also a sizable population ofZoroastrians in the city. In 2013,Sepanta Niknam was elected to the city council of Yazd and became the first Zoroastrian councillor in Iran.[21] The Pir-e-Naraki[22] sanctuary is one of the important pilgrimage destinations for Zoroastrians, where an annual congregation is held and frequent visits are made during the year; it is now also a famous tourist spot. The story of the last Persian prince to come to Yazd before the arrival ofIslam adds to its importance. Such a transformation has occurred several times.[clarification needed][23]
There was once a relatively large Jewish-Yazdi community, however, after the creation ofIsrael, many have moved there for varying reasons. Former president of IsraelMoshe Katsav is an example.
At the time of the 2006 National Census, the city's population was 423,006 in 114,716 households.[24] The following census in 2011 counted 486,152 people in 141,572 households.[25] The 2016 census measured the population of the city as 529,673 people in 158,368 households.[2]
Yazd has ahot desert climate (Köppen climate classificationBWh). It is the driest major city in Iran, with a yearly precipitation amount that is less than 60 millimetres (2.4 in), and has only 11.5 days of precipitation. Summer temperatures are frequently above 40 °C (104 °F) in blazing sunshine with low humidity, on 35.3 days per year the maximum daily temperature reaches or exceeds 40 °C (104 °F).[26] Even at night the temperatures in summer are rather uncomfortable. In the winter, the days remain mild and sunny, but in the morning the thin air and low cloudiness cause cold temperatures, with 24.3 days per year in which the minimum temperature falls below 0 °C (32 °F).[26]
Dust events are not uncommon in Yazd, as they happen 52 days per year.Thick haze is much more common (135.8 days annually) and is more frequent in winter.[26]
Climate data for Yazd (normals 1991-2020, records 1952-present)
Wind towers and domes form part of the skyline of Yazd
Yazd is an important centre ofIranian architecture. Because of its climate, it has one of the largest networks ofqanats (underground water supply systems) in the world, and Yazdiqanat makers are considered the most skilled in Iran.
To deal with the extremely hot summers, many old buildings in Yazd have magnificentwind towers and large underground areas.
The city is also home to prime examples ofyakhchals, which were used to store ice retrieved from glaciers in the nearby mountains. Yazd is also one of the largest cities built almost entirely out ofadobe.
Yazd's heritage as a center of Zoroastrianism is also important. There is aTower of Silence on the outskirts, and the city has anateshkadeh which holds a fire that has been kept alight continuously since 470 AD. Zoroastrians make up a small minority of the population of Yazd, around 1,000 out of 600,000.
The 11th-century brick mausoleum and shrineDavāzdah Imām is the oldest dated building in the city.[30]
Built in 12th century and still in use,Jame Mosque of Yazd is an example of the finest Persianmosaics and excellent architecture. Its minarets are the highest in the country.Tomb of Sayyed Rukn ad-Din is nearby the mosque.
Always known for the quality of its silk and carpets, Yazd today is one of Iran's industrial centers for textiles. There is also a considerable ceramics and construction materials industry and unique confectionery and jewellery industries. A significant portion of the population is also employed in other industries including agriculture, dairy, metal works, and machine manufacturing. There are a number of companies involved in the growing information technology industry, mainly manufacturing primary materials such as cables and connectors. Currently Yazd is the home of the largest manufacturer of fibre optics in Iran.[citation needed]
Yazd's confectioneries have a tremendous following throughout Iran and have been a source of tourism for the city. Confectioners workshops (khalifehs, or experts) keep their recipes a guarded secret, and there are many that have remained a private family business for many generations.Baklava,ghotab andpashmak are the most popular sweets made in the city.
In 2000 the Yazd Water Museum opened;[31] it features exhibits of water storage vessels and historical technologies related to water.
Yazd has expanded its industrial fields since the 1980s. With at least three main industrial areas each containing over 70 different factories, Yazd has become one of the most technologically advanced cities of Iran.
The University of Yazd was established in 1988. It has a college of architecture specializing intraditional Persian art and architecture.[36] Yazd and its nearby towns contain the following institutes of higher education:
Yazd Science and Research
Yazd University
Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services
^Yazd can be found atGEOnet Names Server, atthis link, by opening the Advanced Search box, entering "-3088569" in the "Unique Feature Id" form, and clicking on "Search Database".
^JadvalYab.ir."یزد".JadvalYab.ir. Retrieved2021-03-06.با ایزد و یزدان همریشه است و معنی آن پاک و مقدس و درخور تحسین و آفریننده ٔ خوبیهاست و نام شهر یزداز آن است.
Choksy, Jamsheed K. (2020). "Yazd: a "Good and Noble City" and an "Abode of Worship"". In Durand-Guédy, David; Mottahedeh, Roy; Paul, Jürgen (eds.).Cities of Medieval Iran. Brill. pp. 217–252.ISBN978-90-04-43433-2.
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