- Yazd Province
Infobox Iran Province
province_name = Yazd
ostan_name = یزد
loc_
capital =Yazd
latd = 31.8948
longd = 54.3570
area = 129,285
pop = 958,318
pop_year = 2005
pop_density = 7.4
sub_provinces = 10
languages= Persian Behdini¹Yazd ( _fa. استان یزد) is one of the 30 provinces of
Iran . It is in the centre of the country, and its center isYazd .The province has an area of 73,467 km², and according to the most recent divisions of the country, is divided into ten counties:
Maybod ,Mehreez ,Taft ,Ardakan ,Behabad ,Khatam ,Sadogh ,Bafq ,Abar Kooh andYazd , the capital. According to the 1996 census, Yazd province had a population of about 750,769, of which 75.1% were urban residents while 24.9% resided in rural areas. In 2006, Yazd had an estimated population of 1,033,291. [http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=1152404802&men=gadm&lng=en&dat=32&geo=-106&srt=npan&col=aohdq] The city of Yazd is the economic and administrative capital of the province and therefore the most heavily populated.People
The population of Yazd is predominantly Persian, most of whom are
Shi'a Muslims. There are also small Zoroastrian communities.The city of Yazd’s first mention in historic records predate it back to around 3000 years B.C. when it was related to by the name of Ysatis, and was then part of the domain ofMedes , an ancient empire of Iran. Excavations of "Gharbal Biz" remaining from theAchaemenid period are another example of the antiquity of Yazd. [http://www.chn.ir/en/news/?section=2&id=5223]Zoroastrians have traditionally been populous in Yazd. Even now, roughly ten percent of the town's population according to some estimates adhere to this ancient religion, and though their Atashkadeh (Fire Temple) was turned into a mosque after the
Islamic Conquest of Persia , a dignified new fire temple was inaugurated thirteen hundred years later.History and historical attractions
In the course of history due to its distance from important capitals and its harsh natural surrounding, Yazd remained immune to major troops' movements and destruction from wars, therefore it kept many of its traditions, city forms and architecture until recent times.
Yazd hails from an ancient history. As an example,
Tehran University andIran's Cultural Heritage Organization have teamed up withFrance 's CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique ) to carry out archeological studies in Yazd province as part of a project aiming at preparing archeological plans of the area from theMesolithic era. [http://www.chn.ir/en/news/?section=2&id=1522]During the invasion of
Genghis Khan in the early 13th century, Yazd became a safehaven and home for many artists, intellectuals, and scientists fleeing their war ravaged cities across Persia.Yazd was visited by
Marco Polo in 1272, who described it as a good and noble city and remarked itssilk production industry. Isolated from any approach by a huge tract of monotonous desert, the vibrancy of Yard often comes as a surprise.Architecture of Yazd
Although more often described as the entrance to a now non-existent
bazaar , the chief function of this building known as aTekyeh , and the square before it, was to host the "Ta'ziyeh", a cycle of passion plays commemorating the martyrdom ofHusayn ibn Ali , which takes place once a year during the mourning month of Moharram. The site dates from the fifteenth century amid the efforts of its eponymous builder, "Amir Jalal Al-Din Chakhmagh", governor of Yazd.For a brief period, Yazd was the capital of Atabakan and Mozaffarid dynasties. During the
Qajar Dynasty (18th Century A.D.) it was ruled by the Bakhtiari Khans.Amidst the immense surrounding desert, Yazd retains elements of its old religion, traditions, and architecture, which is recognized by
UNESCO for its architectural heritage [http://www.mehrnews.com/en/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=230502] . In 2004, theMajles allocated funds to help restore historical sites in Yazd inorder to nominate Yazd as a Cultural Heritage city byUNESCO . [http://www.chn.ir/en/news/?section=2&id=1500]The word Yazd means "feast and worship". The city of Yazd has resisted the modern
urbanization changes and has so far maintained its traditional structure. The geographical features of this region have prompted residents to develop special architectural styles. For this reason, in the older part of the city most houses are built ofadobe and have domed roofs (gonbad). These materials serve as an excellent insulation preventing heat from passing through.The existence of special ventilation structures, called
Badgir s is a distinctive feature of the architecture of this city (A Badgir is a high structure on the roof under which, in the interior of the building, there is a small pool).The Jame Mosque (Friday Mosque) of Yazd crowned by a pair of
minaret s, the highest in Persia, the portal's facade is decorated from top to bottom in dazzling tile work, predominantly blue in colour.Climate
Being located beside the central mountains, far from the sea, adjacent to the kavir and in the shadow rainy region, Yazd has a climate which mostly resembles dry desert climate. Little rain along with high water evaporation, relatively low dampness, heat and great temperature changes are among the factors making this province, one of the driest parts of
Iran . The only moderating climatic factor is elevation and hence, notably that of nearbyShirkuh (4000 meters).Higher education
The
University of Yazd was established in1988 . It has a noted college of Architecture specializing in traditional Persian Art and Architecture. Yazd and its nearby towns contain the following institutes of higher education:*#
University of Yazd
*#Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services
*# Islamic Azad University of Bafgh
*# Islamic Azad University of Mehreez
*# [http://www.maybod.ac.ir/ Islamic Azad University of Maybod]
*# [http://www.yazdiau.ac.ir/ Islamic Azad University of Yazd]
*# [http://www.sampad.info/ Yazd Sampad Information Center]ee also
*Chak Chak, a village in Yazd province
External links
* [http://www.irantour.org/Iran/province/Yazd.html Yazd Geography and History]
* [http://www.ostan-yz.ir/ Official website of Yazd Governorship]
* [http://www.iranchamber.com/cities/yazd/yazd.php Iran Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://yazdchto.ir/ Cultural Heritage Organization of Yazd Province]
* [http://www.world-heritage-tour.org/midEast/ir/yazd/jamehMasjid_inside.html Panorama inside the Masjid-i-Jame mosque]
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