Iran > The desert city Yazd

The façade of Takyeh Amir Chakhmagh in the city center is characteristic of Yazd. Only the front of the three-story building still stands. Today, a bazaar is located behind the building. I ask someone how I can access the upper floors of the Takyeh Amir Chakhmagh. He points me to an arch further along. There is a small booth there. The door behind it is locked. This does not look promising. Inside the booth, however, someone is sitting. The older man gestures that the entrance is closed. He comes out of the booth and grabs me, indicating that I should follow him. He points out the large cracks in the mosaic work. With sulfur tails, they try to prevent further cracking. I doubt the effectiveness of this patchwork. I also wonder why this man sits in the booth—just to tell visitors that the building is closed. The mosque across the street is also closed. According to Lonely Planet, it is only open during evening prayers. I have more luck at the Water Museum, also on the square. The museum is open. Inside, it explains how qanats—the underground water channels—work. Below the museum, I observe a working water stream and a water reservoir. The reservoir is pleasantly cool. Outside, the temperature has already risen to 37 degrees Celsius—simply hot. I continue on to the Haizaneh Mosque. I enter the large complex. The caretaker welcomes me and tells me I may explore all the rooms. The mosque itself is not very large, but all the connected rooms together form a sizable prayer space. Back on the street, I turn toward the Friday Mosque. Just before reaching it, I enter a small alley. I have to search a bit to reach the Bogheh-gij Sayyed Roknaddin mausoleum. The mausoleum, with its beautiful blue tiled dome, is often closed. I am lucky; restoration work is ongoing inside, and the door is open. I take a look inside. The Friday Mosque is also scaffolded. The scaffolding of old buildings seems to be a recurring theme on this trip.

Iran - The wind tower serves as an air conditioner

The mosque itself, however, is open. I enter the large courtyard. The covered area serves as the prayer hall. The tall domes are completely adorned with colorful mosaics. I exit the mosque on the opposite side. I wander through the narrow streets of the old city. Walking between the mud-brick walls, I feel like I am in a maze. I pass under covered streets and quickly become lost in the street plan. As a guide, I follow the signs to the Alexander Prison. Upon reaching the square near the old prison, I immediately recognize my hotel from two years ago. I take a look inside the hotel with its cozy courtyard. Nothing seems to have changed. I am invited to see the wind tower room, the qanat under the hotel, and the hotel roof with its wind towers. At the Alexander Prison, directly opposite the hotel, I order a tea in the cellar. This cellar was once referred to in a poem by Hafez as the prison of Alexander the Great. Whether this is historically accurate has never been verified. Since I cannot eat here, I cross the square to a restaurant in an old hammam and order soup. A charming location. After lunch, I walk through the quiet narrow streets of the old city, trying to stay in the shade as much as possible to avoid the heat. I visit the Lari Museum, located in one of the old Qajar merchant houses with beautiful wind towers. I wonder why all wind towers have protruding poles; I suspect it has to do with wind turbulence. Finally, I visit the Hosseiniyeh Mausoleum with its three-story façade. I climb the narrow mud-brick staircase at the back. From the top floor, I have a view over the old city. In the distance, I see the domes and minarets of the main mosques. It is still oppressively hot. There is practically no one on the streets, and even the shops in the bazaar are still on siesta. I take a taxi back to the hotel.