Discover Yazd beyond its famous landmarks. This ancient desert city holds a wealth of attractions often missed by travelers. From hidden historic neighborhoods to fascinating traditional crafts, Yazd offers countless opportunities for deeper cultural exploration. Here, we highlight seven Lesser-Known Attractions in Yazd that showcase the city’s unique character, inviting you to experience Yazd from a fresh perspective.
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Yazd Lesser-Known Attractions
If you appreciate the elegance of traditional Iranian architecture and find peace in historic Iranian houses, then don’t miss a trip to Yazd. Yazd is the city of pomegranates, Qottab sweets, and a starry desert sky; it is a city that preserves an eternal flame and celebrates the ancient Mehregan festival.
The traditional houses and ecolodges in Yazd, adorned with colorful orsi windows, cisterns, taqi arches, and wind towers, demonstrate the splendor of desert city architecture in Iran.
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The best time to visit Yazd is in autumn or spring when the intense desert sun softens and the cold desert nights become bearable. It’s perfect for a stroll through the city’s mudbrick alleys, where the cool breeze gently brushes past.
For accommodations in Yazd, there are several choices, including renting villas, suites, or reserving ecolodges through SURFIRAN—guaranteeing you a memorable stay.
Today, we’re offering a unique answer to the question, “Where should we go in Yazd?” and exploring some Lesser-Known Attractions in Yazd.
1. Abou’l Ma’ali Bathhouse
The Abou’l Ma’ali Bathhouse is a historic bathhouse that has been repurposed into a traditional restaurant in the old Fahadan neighborhood of Yazd. Constructed with brick, river pebbles, plaster, and sarooj, it’s an exquisite example of Qajar-era bathhouses.
The structure includes multiple features like an octagonal antechamber, entrance staircases, hot and cold plunge pools, rest rooms, shahneshin seating areas, and a garmkhaneh or hot room.
Learn more about the best restaurants in Yazd on the SURFIRAN website.
2. Mirror Palace Museum
The Mirror Palace Museum is an exquisite mansion within a spacious garden, blending traditional and modern architecture. The building is adorned with plasterwork, mirror mosaics, and colorful orsi windows. Originally built during the Pahlavi era, it was home to the benevolent businessman, Sarrafzadeh.
This mansion now serves as a museum showcasing historic items, such as antique lamps and chandeliers. It’s located on Kashani Street in Yazd.
Discover more about hidden gems in Yazd on the SURFIRAN blog.
3. Zeinaldin Caravanserai
The Zeinaldin Caravanserai is one of Yazd’s lesser-known gems, a stunning architectural feat from the Safavid era, built by prominent architect Mohammad Sultan Yazdi over 400 years ago.
What makes this caravanserai stand out is its circular design, which offers a unique perspective from above. This brick structure is now used as an ecolodge. On its northern side, a shahneshin has been transformed into a dining area, and there are two sets of staircases leading to the rooftop, providing stunning views of the desert landscape.
This caravanserai is located 60 kilometers along the road from Yazd to Kerman, about 500 meters from the highway.
4. Tower of Silence
To visit a unique cemetery, head to the Tower of Silence, located 15 kilometers from Yazd. Zoroastrians traditionally brought bodies to a high elevation called Dakhmeh, where they were left exposed to the wind and sun, providing sustenance for scavenger birds.
Zoroastrians believed that earth and fire were sacred and must not be polluted by corpses, hence they opted for this method rather than burial or cremation.
The dakhmeh is built from raw bricks and plaster to prevent contaminants from seeping into the soil. The circular structure is divided into three concentric areas for men, women, and children, with a central pit called Astodan where bones were eventually placed.
The Tower of Silence is located in the Dakhmeh mountain range, 15 kilometers southeast of Yazd, near the Safaiyeh area.
Find more spooky places in Iran on the SURFIRAN website.
5. Zarch Qanat
Zarch Qanat is the longest qanat in the world, spanning 100 kilometers with over 2,000 wells dug along its route. The qanat begins in Fahraj, passing through the villages of Dehnow and Akramieh before entering Yazd and eventually reaching the town of Zarch.
Near the Jameh Mosque of Yazd, there is a branch of the qanat accessible via 60 steps, leading to an area used for ablution by the mosque’s worshippers.
Learn about more historical sites in Yazd on SURFIRAN’s travel guide.
6. Naji Garden
Naji Garden is a beautiful park featuring a mansion from the Qajar era, which was owned by a man named Naji. It’s a stunning example of a garden set along the Najafabad qanat route, emphasizing the importance of qanat systems in desert cities.
Located on Dasti Boulevard in Yazd, it lies on the exit route towards Kerman.
7. Six Windcatchers Water Reservoir
The Six Windcatchers Water Reservoir is a remarkable structure built during the Qajar era by Haj Mohammad Hossein Yazdi. As the name suggests, this reservoir features six windcatchers, each designed to keep the water cool by catching and channeling air.
The water reservoir is located in Yazd’s Six Windcatchers Alley.
For more information on unique sites in Yazd, visit SURFIRAN’s travel guide.
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