Lari House in Yazd: Courtyards and Windcatchers

Lari House stands in the Fahadan quarter of Yazd, off Imam Khomeini Street beside the Kolah Farangi building. From the main courtyard you can see how a Qajar merchant household used shaded porches, thick walls and a windcatcher to make the desert climate more comfortable.

Iran’s heritage register dates the house to 1286 AH (1869–70) and attributes its construction to the merchant Haj Mohammad Ebrahim Lari.

The Residential Compound

The heritage register describes six connected dwellings occupying about 1,700 square meters. The courtyards bring light into the rooms and give the compound outdoor space away from the street.

The Eventful History of Lari House

Built as a residence, the compound later also served as a khanqah, a gathering place for members of the Nematollahi Sufi order.

Later Use

Accounts differ on the property’s later occupants and the sequence of changes after it ceased to be a family residence.

Preservation and Transformation

The house entered Iran’s national heritage register in 1375 in the Solar Hijri calendar (1996–97). It stands in the historic district of Yazd, which UNESCO recognizes for its earthen buildings, sunken courtyards and underground water system.

Who Were the Lari Family?

The family name refers to Lar in southern Iran. The heritage register identifies the patron as a merchant in Yazd, and the house takes the family’s name.

Architecture of Lari House

Yazd’s traditional houses use thick earthen walls to slow the movement of heat indoors. At Lari House, the courtyard works with the shaded porch and lower rooms to provide different places to sit as the temperature changes.

Ornate Details

Look for colored glazing, painted surfaces and mirror work around the reception rooms. The enclosed rooms and the open porch offer very different light, even though both face the same court.

A Tour of Lari House’s Sections

Start at the main court, where the pool, large porch and tower are easy to read together. Architectural surveys distinguish a large and a small court within the house, while wider descriptions count courtyards across the connected complex.

Main Courtyard – The Heart of Lari House

The long pool marks the center of the main courtyard. Stand at one end and compare the broad opening of the porch with the rows of smaller doors around the court.

The windcatcher rises behind one corner of the porch. Look for it from across the pool, where its position is easier to see.

The Rooms Surrounding the Main Courtyard

The layout gave the household options across the seasons. The shaded porch and adjacent spaces offered shelter in summer, while the rooms across the court could make use of winter sun.

The Ivans

An ivan is a roofed space that opens on one side. Here the large porch gives a shaded view of the main court and connects it visually with rooms on either side.

Halls and Additional Rooms

Traditional room names describe how many openings face the court. A se-dari has three and a panj-dari has five. The rhythm of the doors is easiest to see from outside the rooms.

How the Windcatcher Works

A windcatcher, or badgir, uses openings high above the roof to move air through the building. At Lari House the tower sits by the summer porch.

The courtyard and windcatcher work together with the shade and thick walls. The tower’s role here is ventilation; the house’s other features also affect how cool each room feels.

The Cellar

The sardab is a cellar below the main court near the porch. Its depth and surrounding earth help keep the temperature steadier than at courtyard level. A stair leads down from the court.

Architectural studies describe the cellar as a cool space for storage. If stairs are a concern, you can see how the cellar entrance, porch and tower are arranged from the courtyard.

Historical Documents Museum in Lari House

Lari House has housed a display of historical documents from Yazd. Accounts of the exhibition describe records of trade, marriage and ownership of qanats, the underground channels that supply water.

Best Time to Visit Lari House

Spring and autumn are good choices for walking Fahadan. On a hot day, plan the walk early and leave time for the shaded porch and indoor spaces.

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Planning a Visit

Combine the house with the nearby Ziaeiyeh School, also called Alexander’s Prison, on a walk through Fahadan. The lanes are narrow, so allow time to cover the last stretch on foot.

Ask at the entrance which rooms and exhibits are open on the day. The cellar route includes stairs.