{"id":15149,"date":"2017-06-12T08:14:19","date_gmt":"2017-06-12T08:14:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/?p=15149"},"modified":"2026-11-04T13:12:56","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T13:12:56","slug":"zarch-qanat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/zarch-qanat\/","title":{"rendered":"Zarch Qanat in Yazd: A UNESCO Heritage Water System"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Zarch Qanat carries groundwater underground by gravity across part of the Yazd plain. It is one of the eleven components of <a href=\"https:\/\/whc.unesco.org\/en\/list\/1506\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Persian Qanat<\/a>, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2016. In Yazd, an access stair or a chamber gives a better sense of the system than looking for an exposed canal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-flat ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/zarch-qanat\/#zarch-qanat-length-and-historical-context\" >Zarch Qanat: Length and Historical Context<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/zarch-qanat\/#understanding-underground-water-access\" >Understanding Underground Water Access<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/zarch-qanat\/#a-photo-gallery-of-zarch-qanat\" >A Photo Gallery of Zarch Qanat<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/zarch-qanat\/#water-heritage-in-yazd\" >Water Heritage in Yazd<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/zarch-qanat\/#zarch-qanat-videos\" >Zarch Qanat Videos<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/zarch-qanat\/#planning-a-zarch-qanat-visit\" >Planning a Zarch Qanat Visit<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/zarch-qanat\/#related-guides\" >Related Guides<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"zarch-qanat-length-and-historical-context\"><\/span>Zarch Qanat: Length and Historical Context<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/whc.unesco.org\/document\/152821\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2016 ICOMOS evaluation<\/a> describes an 80-kilometre system with three branches and a mother well up to 90 metres deep. It gives a date of 1200 to 1300 CE and notes both circular and square shafts. These figures describe the network, not the length or depth of a visitor route.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image size-entry_with_sidebar wp-image-15163\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"790\" height=\"527\" src=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Qanat-of-Zarch-2.jpg\" alt=\"Water visible through a low opening in Zarch Qanat\" class=\"wp-image-15163\" style=\"width:836px;height:558px\" title=\"Water visible through a low opening in Zarch Qanat\" srcset=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Qanat-of-Zarch-2.jpg 790w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Qanat-of-Zarch-2-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Qanat-of-Zarch-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Qanat-of-Zarch-2-705x470.jpg 705w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Qanat-of-Zarch-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Qanat-of-Zarch-2-450x300.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 790px) 100vw, 790px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Water seen through an opening in the qanat passage.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"understanding-underground-water-access\"><\/span>Understanding Underground Water Access<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The main channel descends gently toward its outlet. The vertical shafts helped workers remove excavated earth and ventilate and maintain the tunnel. A <em>payab<\/em> serves a different purpose: its staircase lets people reach water below ground without climbing down a shaft.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image size-entry_with_sidebar wp-image-15162\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Zarch-Qanat-1.jpg\" alt=\"Brick stairways and vaulted passages at Zarch Qanat\" class=\"wp-image-79592\" style=\"width:800px;height:auto\" title=\"Brick stairways and vaulted passages at Zarch Qanat\" srcset=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Zarch-Qanat-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Zarch-Qanat-1-780x488.jpg 780w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Zarch-Qanat-1-768x480.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Brick stairways and vaulted underground passages.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"a-photo-gallery-of-zarch-qanat\"><\/span>A Photo Gallery of Zarch Qanat<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the photographs, compare the narrow water passage with the wider brick chambers. The steps and vaults belong to places where people could approach the water; the channel itself continues beyond those rooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"577\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"83817\" src=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Zarch-Qanat-of-Yaz-2-577x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Visitors in a narrow underground passage at Zarch Qanat\" class=\"wp-image-83817\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Zarch-Qanat-of-Yaz-2-577x1024.jpg 577w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Zarch-Qanat-of-Yaz-2-563x1000.jpg 563w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Zarch-Qanat-of-Yaz-2-768x1364.jpg 768w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Zarch-Qanat-of-Yaz-2-865x1536.jpg 865w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Zarch-Qanat-of-Yaz-2-rotated.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 577px) 100vw, 577px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Visitors follow a narrow underground passage.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"577\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"83818\" src=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Zarch-Qanat-of-Yaz-3-577x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Stone steps leading through a vaulted underground corridor\" class=\"wp-image-83818\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Zarch-Qanat-of-Yaz-3-577x1024.jpg 577w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Zarch-Qanat-of-Yaz-3-563x1000.jpg 563w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Zarch-Qanat-of-Yaz-3-768x1364.jpg 768w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Zarch-Qanat-of-Yaz-3-865x1536.jpg 865w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Zarch-Qanat-of-Yaz-3-rotated.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 577px) 100vw, 577px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Steps lead into a vaulted corridor.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"83819\" src=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Zarch-Qanat-of-Yaz-6-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Water flowing through a narrow rock-cut qanat tunnel\" class=\"wp-image-83819\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Zarch-Qanat-of-Yaz-6-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Zarch-Qanat-of-Yaz-6-750x1000.jpg 750w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Zarch-Qanat-of-Yaz-6-rotated.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Water runs through a narrow tunnel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\">Zarch Qanat of Yazd<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"water-heritage-in-yazd\"><\/span>Water Heritage in Yazd<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/yazd-water-museum\/\">Yazd Water Museum<\/a> gives an above-ground introduction to qanat construction and water-sharing. Zarch also served irrigation: an <a href=\"https:\/\/icid-ciid.org\/award\/his_details\/136\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage profile<\/a> describes how local managers allocate water shares to farmers.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image size-entry_with_sidebar wp-image-15161\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"750\" height=\"469\" src=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Qanat-of-Zarch-1.jpg\" alt=\"Brick-vaulted water-access chamber with arched openings\" class=\"wp-image-15161\" style=\"width:828px;height:518px\" title=\"Brick-vaulted water-access chamber with arched openings\" srcset=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Qanat-of-Zarch-1.jpg 750w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Qanat-of-Zarch-1-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Qanat-of-Zarch-1-705x441.jpg 705w, https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Qanat-of-Zarch-1-450x281.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Brickwork and arched openings in a water-access chamber.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"zarch-qanat-videos\"><\/span>Zarch Qanat Videos<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The videos show the change from stairways and vaulted spaces to tighter passages near the channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video height=\"640\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 360 \/ 640;\" width=\"360\" controls src=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Zarch-Qanat-of-Yazd-2.mp4\"><\/video><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Zarch Qanat of Yazd<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video height=\"640\" style=\"aspect-ratio: 360 \/ 640;\" width=\"360\" controls src=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/Zarch-Qanat-of-Yazd.mp4\"><\/video><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Inside Zarch Qanat of Yazd<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"planning-a-zarch-qanat-visit\"><\/span>Planning a Zarch Qanat Visit<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ask the local site office where the authorised entrance is and whether the visit uses stairs or narrow sections. If someone in your group cannot manage an underground route, consider the Water Museum for an introduction to the same system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stay on the route indicated by site staff. Shafts and unmarked openings serve the qanat itself and should not be treated as visitor entrances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"related-guides\"><\/span>Related Guides<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-related-links yoast-seo-related-links\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/persian-qanat\/\">Qanat: Iran&#8217;s Ancient Water Management System<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/qasabeh-qanat\/\">Qasabeh Qanat in Gonabad<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/abanbar\/\">Ab Anbar: A Roofed Underground Water Cistern<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover Zarch Qanat in Yazd, part of UNESCO&#8217;s Persian Qanat property, with sourced history, photographs, two short videos and visit-planning notes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":15162,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,306],"tags":[659,5239,754],"class_list":["post-15149","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tourism-iran","category-culture","tag-iran-silk-road","tag-qanat","tag-yazd"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Qanat-of-Zarch-2.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15149","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15149"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15149\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":203287,"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15149\/revisions\/203287"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15162"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15149"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15149"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/surfiran.com\/mag\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15149"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}