Alexander’s Prison
Despite its name, this building was never used as a prison and was built hundreds of years after the death of Alexander the greats. Interestingly it was built using only adobe and mud but is still standing after 800 years. This 15th-century domed school is known as Alexander’s Prison because of a reference to this apparently dastardly place in a Hafez poem. Whether the deep well in the middle of its courtyard was in fact built by Alexander the Great and used as a dungeon seems doubtful, no matter what the guide says. The building is worth a look for the small display on the old city of Yazd, but mostly the fee covers access to a warren of craft workshops.
The original purpose of the building is unknown but it now serves as an Ethnographic Museum. Inside there is a detailed scaled model of the old city and a collection of labeled archaeological artifacts that were dug up around the city.
Amir Chakhmaq Complex
The Amir Chakhmaq Complex is a prominent structure in Yazd, Iran, noted for its symmetrical sunken alcoves. Amir Chakhmagh square was established on the north side of an important mosque called the Old Mosque, known today as Amir Chakhmagh Mosque. At the beginning of 19th century, the square converted to a Hosseiniye, where Muslims used to gather for Muharram (the holy month). Most of the changes in Amir-Chakhmagh Square were implemented during the modernization period of Reza Shah.
By completing Pahlavi Street in 1935, the northern part of the square, which connected it with the Bazaar, was demolished. This square converted also to cemetery in the Pahlavi Period. It contains bazaar, mosque, tekye, bath and a watering place. Amir Chakhmagh complex was built in the 15th century by Jalal-al-din Amir Chakhmagh, who was the governor of Yazd in the Timurids period. As for Amir Chakhmagh mosque, installed stone upon the threshold of the mosque face to the square, the incision of endowment deed in Naskh script, fine nets of mosaic tiles of outer circumference of prayer niche’s dome, and main platform with stalactite worked vault have placed this mosque after Jaame’ mosque from viewpoint of beauty. This monument has been named now Jaame’ Mosque, too.
Dowlat Abad Garden
Dowlat Abad Garden, located in Yazd, is a historic Persian garden built during the Zand dynasty (1747). It has the highest identified wind tower in Iran (33.8 meter height). Total area of the garden is approximately 40,000 square meters. The garden is registered in the Iran national monuments, as well as one of Iranian gardens registered in the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
What is observed as the plot in Dolat Abad Garden is a pure sample of Persian or Iranian architecture. In past, the garden was used for residential and governmental purposes. It used to include four main buildings inside that only three of them have survived within years. It consists of two rectangular parts of andarooni (=inner part) and birooni (=outer part). State gatherings, sports events, and governmental meetings were all held in the external garden and the internal garden was home to kings and important figures. It should also be mentioned that the two external and internal parts were constructed totally separately from each other and sometimes there were even some guardians defending the internal structure.
The tallest wind tower of the pavilion inside the garden is conceivable from miles away. This traditional air-conditioning system of local houses around the desert in Iran is the essential elements at the residential structures. However, the exaggerated grand size of this wind catcher functioned perfectly well. Actually the Dolat Abad garden is also renowned for having Iran’s tallest badgir (the wind tower).
Lari House
This house was built in 1286 AH by Hadji Mohammad Ebrahim Lari. They used to use this building as a house for Darvishes of the Ne’mat-o-Allahi sect in the past. Its door, windows, sash windows and painted rooms decorated with mirrors, caused it to be one of the beautiful and splendid aristocratic houses of the thirteenth century AH.
Lari House is one of the most beautiful houses in Yazd, which depicts the art of Iranian architecture to the world. This house which is a symbol of luxurious house in 13th century is located in the Fahadan neighborhood. The total area of Lari House is 1700 square meters. It is one of the most valuable houses of the Qajar era and is 150 years old. The construction of this house dates back to 1286 AH. Lari House was built under the command of Gholam Hossein Molazeinal, and later the prominent Lari merchant, Haj Ibrahim Lari bought this beautiful house. When you enter the House, you see two different slots on door which were designed specifically for men and women, each with their own voice. The area of the Lari House is 1200 square meters, with 3 courtyards and 6 houses, including porches, rooms, balcony and a hall. In Lari House in Yazd, the doors, curtains, windows, and mirrored rooms will amaze you. Like other historic houses, this house has two inner and outer parts, with a courtyard in the center. The northern part of Lari House was used in the winter, and the southern part of the house, which includes a hall and windward create a pleasant space for the people in the summer. You will see historic documents that are publicly displayed on the inner courtyard of Lari House. Beyond the balcony, you see a tall, upright and well-defined windward in the courtyard. Inside the windward, they put some woods to provide more strength and cooling to the weather. Lari’s rooms are separated by three stone stairs from the courtyard of the mansion, and the interior of the rooms is decorated with plastering in purple, which gaze the eyes of every visitor.
