Tourist Attractions in Yazd, Iran
Alexander’s Prison
In Yazd, the Zee Yaa Eiyeh School, which dates back to the 15th century, is well known as the Alexander’s Prison. It is said that the Greek monarch Alexander the Great imprisoned several Iranian aristocrats who resisted him in this school’s courtyard, in a deep well. The well is located in the centre of the courtyard. During the reign of the Timurids, the building underwent repair work. There is a line in one of Hafez’s poems that makes a reference to this location.
Amir Chakhmagh Complex
A mosque dating back to the 14th century, the Amir Chakhmagh Complex may be found close to the main market. Previously, people referred to it as Masjed-e-Nou throughout that time period (New mosque). It was Bibi Fatemeh Khatun, Amir Chakhmaq’s wife, who was responsible for its construction. Amir Chakhmaq served as the Governor of Yazd area during the Timurid era. The front porch of the building has calligraphy work of a very high quality. Marble tiles of exceptional quality are used to decorate the mehrab. Holy passages from the Quran are carved onto the stones that surround the morehab. The presence of blooming plants and trees in the plaza in front of the mosque contributes to the overall attractiveness of this location.
Zoroastrian Fire Temple
The Zoroastrian Fire Temple is the location where prayers are spoken before a person is placed in a cemetery made of concrete. These prayers are offered by members of the Zoroastrian community. These deceased individuals’ remains were sent to the Tower of Silence in prior ages. The sacred light that is still blazing was moved to this location in the middle of the 20th century from its previous location, where it had been burning continuously for the previous 1100 years. A priest who practises Zoroastrianism is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the temple. You can see in this video that the priest is using a piece of cloth to cover his lips in order to prevent his exhaled air from getting straight towards the holy flame.
Towers of Silence
In Yazd, the two Towers of Silence may be seen perched on their respective hills. These towers have the shape of rounded, elevated constructions, and they are fashioned into this shape. The ancient Zorastrians had the belief that putting dead corpses into the ground would taint and destroy the environment. They used to place the dead corpses on these towers so that they would be exposed to the elements, including the sun, vultures, and other birds of prey, and so that they would eventually decompose on their own. The cadavers of men, women, and children were separated by gender and stored in the various rings of these towers. After a period of time, the skeletal remains of the deceased were put through a series of processes in filters made of lime, coal, and sand before being washed away.
