Stand in the square in front of Takyeh Amir Chakhmagh at dusk, when the fountains run and the tiers of the building are lit, and you have the measure of Yazd: a city of mud-brick, wind towers and long shadows at the edge of the desert. The old town rewards slow walking, and the surrounding plains hold the fire temple and the towers of silence that belong to its Zoroastrian heritage.
Yazd suits travellers who are interested in architecture, water and desert engineering, and religious history, and who are happy to plan around the heat. Summer days are frequently above 40 °C, so mornings and evenings are the practical times to be outdoors, with the cool underground rooms of the water museum as a midday refuge.
This guide covers the sights in and around the city, with a one-day plan that links the best of them, and answers to the questions travellers ask most often.
Top things to do in Yazd
1. Masjid-e Jame (Friday Mosque)
Dating to the 14th century, this is an example of the finest Persian mosaics and excellent architecture, and its minarets are the highest in the country. It stands on Masjid-e Jame street, which runs off Imam St.
Admire it at night when it is lit up, and note that entry is free. The Tomb of Sayyed Rukn ad-Din is nearby the mosque, so you can see both in one stop.
2. Takyeh Amir Chakhmagh (Amir Chakhmagh Complex)
Built as a mosque, this structure has served as a caravanserai, a tekyeh, a bathhouse, a cold water well and a confectionery. It fronts a square in the old town, opposite the water museum.
You can pay a small amount to go inside and climb to the top, which gives good local views, including of a nearby badgir. The square has interesting fountains and is nice at night.
3. Yazd Water Museum
This is a house converted to a museum with a lot of information about the Canat water distribution system, and it contains nice cool underground rooms. It sits on the corner of Qiyam st. and Imam St.
It opens 08:00-19:00 with a 14:30-15:30 break, and entry is 150,000 rials. Because it is directly opposite the Amir Chakhmagh Complex, combine the two.
4. Atashkadeh (Atash Behram)
This Zoroastrian Fire Temple was built in 1934, and the fire on the inside has supposedly been burning since AD 470. It is believed to be one of the nine worldwide Atash Behrams, or "Victorious Fires".
It stands at the crossing of Kashani and Akbar Road, a few kilometres from the old town, so a taxi might be best. It is open 08:00-21:00 and closed on official holidays, with entry at 400,000 rials.
5. Dakhmeh (Zoroastrian Towers of Silence)
These are huge circular walls on top of hills, where the dead were left to be picked clean by vultures. It is a quiet, serene place a few kilometres outside town in the direction of Shiraz.
Two hills can be walked up, Golestan and Mankeji. Entry is 200,000 rials.
6. Dowlat Abad Gardens
These gardens have a building with a beautiful large badgir, and they are one of nine Persian gardens inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Entry is 150,000 rials.
Given the heat, plan this for the cooler part of the day and give the badgir the time it deserves.
7. Cistern of Fatemeh-ye-Golshan
This is an easily-viewed reservoir with four badgirs, or wind towers. It is a quick stop that shows how the city's water and cooling systems worked in practice.
Pair it with your walk through the old town rather than making a separate trip.
8. Amir Chakhmagh Mosque (Old Mosque)
This mosque stands next to the Amir Chakhmagh Complex, so it is naturally part of the same visit to the square.
See it while you are already at the complex, and take in the square's fountains at the same time.
9. Market Square Clock
The clock stands on Imam St, on the route through the bazaar area of the old town.
Use it as a landmark while walking Imam St, and combine it with the water museum and the Amir Chakhmagh Complex, which are close by.
10. Museum of Zoroastrians History and Culture
Near Markar square, this museum makes an emphasis on cultural aspects of daily life of Zoroastrianism followers in Iran. It opens 09:00–13:00 and 16:00–20:00, and entry is 80,000 rials.
It complements the Atashkadeh and the Towers of Silence, so it is worth adding if you are following the Zoroastrian thread through the city.
11. Alexander's Prison (Ziaiyyeh school)
This was neither built by Alexander the Great nor a prison, but a 15th-century domed school. Guides say the deep well in the middle of its courtyard was built by Alexander the Great and was used as a dungeon, although this is not confirmed.
Apart from the well there is nothing else to see, so it can easily be skipped. Entry is 150,000 rials.
12. Pahlevani and zoorkhaneh rituals
This is a traditional Iranian martial art practised in a domed structure called a zurkhaneh, close to Amir Chaqmaq Square. Training sessions consist mainly of ritual gymnastic movements and climax with the core of combat practice, a form of submission-grappling called koshti pahlavāni.
It runs Sat-Thu 06:00–21:00, with gymnastics by several men starting at 19:00 until 20:00. Entry is 150,000 rials.
13. Traditional Persian Night
Held at Kohan Hotel, near the Museum of Coin and Anthropology, Alley 40, Imam Street, this event introduces Persian traditions, literature, music and some of the customs associated with the Iranian night gathering. A welcome drink, Persian storytelling, live Persian classical music (the Setar playing), fresh fruits, Yazdi cake with bitter orange blossom tea, narrating Persian anecdotes, and a three course dinner are included.
It runs 19:00-22:00 in a quiet and pleasant atmosphere. Reservations are necessary and sufficient bookings are required for the event to be held; adult USD25, child 5-12 USD23.
14. Pahlevanpour Garden
In Mehriz town, 40 km south of the city, this is another world heritage-listed Persian Garden. It opens 08:00-21:30.
It is a further-afield option, so treat it as a half-day trip rather than a stop on a city walk.
15. Sar-Yazd Fortress
In Saryazd village, close to Mehriz town and 40 km south of Yazd, the village dates back to the Sassanid era (3rd-7th AD). Apart from the fortress it has two caravanserais (Seljuk and Safavid ones), a water reservoir and a number of other historical buildings, all in half-destroyed state.
There is a traditional restaurant in the Safavid Caravansary and a hotel named 'Najari House' offering 6 simple rooms, so you can make this an overnight stop.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Masjid-e Jame (Friday Mosque) on Masjid-e Jame street, then walk Imam St to the Market Square Clock and the Yazd Water Museum on the corner of Qiyam st. and Imam St. Time your museum visit around the 14:30-15:30 break, and use its cool underground rooms during the hottest part of the day.
Afternoon: Cross to the Takyeh Amir Chakhmagh (Amir Chakhmagh Complex) and the Amir Chakhmagh Mosque next to it, and pay a small amount to climb to the top of the complex for the local views. If you want more, the Cistern of Fatemeh-ye-Golshan is an easy addition to the same walk.
Evening: Take a taxi to the Atashkadeh (Atash Behram), open until 21:00 and closed on official holidays, then return to the Amir Chakhmagh square, which is nice at night, or book the Traditional Persian Night at Kohan Hotel, which runs 19:00-22:00 and requires a reservation.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of day to be outdoors in Yazd?
Summer temperatures are frequently above 40 °C in blazing sunshine, and even at night summer temperatures are rather uncomfortable. Winter days remain mild and sunny, though mornings can be cold. Plan outdoor sights for the morning and evening and use cool underground spaces such as the water museum's rooms in the middle of the day.
Do I need a taxi to reach the Zoroastrian sites?
The Atashkadeh is a few kilometres from the old town and a taxi might be best. The Dakhmeh (Zoroastrian Towers of Silence) lies a few kilometres outside town in the direction of Shiraz. The Museum of Zoroastrians History and Culture is near Markar square.
Which sights can I see together in the old town?
Masjid-e Jame, the Market Square Clock and the Yazd Water Museum are all on or off Imam St, and the Takyeh Amir Chakhmagh (Amir Chakhmagh Complex) fronts a square opposite the water museum, with the Amir Chakhmagh Mosque next to it and the Cistern of Fatemeh-ye-Golshan easily viewed nearby.
Is Alexander's Prison worth including?
Apart from the well there is nothing else to see, so it can easily be skipped. If you do go, entry is 150,000 rials.
Decide which of these fits your days, check the opening times that matter to you, and start planning your trip to Yazd.