Meybod

Meybod in Yazd Province is a desert city with an ancient history. The city, which resembles Yazd city in several aspects, is considered to be much older than the city of wind towers with a history of over 7,000 years. It is an old historical city that is located at the edge of Iran’s central desert and dates back to the pre-Islamic era. This ancient city has been a center for Zoroastrians. Meybod is located in the northwest of Yazd with the height of 1234 m above the sea level. The prosperity of pottery, tile and ceramic industry should be evaluated in terms of its connection between industry and tradition.

The tourist attractions of Meybod are:

Narin Castle
The Narin Castle is a mud-brick fort or castle in the town of Meybod. The construction is built around 2000 years ago in the Achaemenid and Sassanid dynasties. It is also similar in design to Ali Qapu palace of Isfahan. A terrace is located on the top of the structure and a large underground chamber possibly a prison is beneath the structure. The structure seems to have been the victim of numerous earthquakes throughout the ages.

Shah Abbasi Caravanserai
Shah Abbasi Caravanserai is a roadside inn, located in Meybod, Yazd. Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce, information, and people across the network of trade. The caravanserai was built during the Safavid era (1501-1722) with a total of 100 rooms.  A water reservoir, a courier house and an ice house are contained in the caravanserai. Parts of the caravanserai are turned to traditional restaurants that provide Iranian traditional foods.

Shah Abbasi Caravanserai

Ice House
Before the invention of the refrigerator, which is a relatively modern invention, ice was a precious commodity that couldn’t be easily obtained or made, especially in summer. The ice houses were the building to store ice and snow in the winter and hold them for one year. The ice house of Meybod with a history that goes back to the time before Qajar period (probably Safavid era) is one of the few fridges remaining in Yazd Province that is made of adobe and mud. It is located in Shah Abbasi caravanserai of Meybod.

Meybod Dovecote (Kabutar Khana Meybod)
Dovecotes were built as a place to collect the pigeons and other bird manure for use in agriculture. The pigeons manure had been  also greatly used in the leather industry and gunpowder fabrication. Meybod dovecote tower is one of the historical monuments of Qajar era that has been built cylindrical. It is equipped with thousands of nests and a large bowl of water on the roof to attract and hold migratory birds.

Meybod Dovecote

Mehrjard Castle
The castle was built during Zandieh and Afsharieh dynasties (the 17th century). There are five towers built around the castle to watch around. The castle is built with brick and clay layers and represents an old Iranian architecture. There are also old apparatuses and furniture preserved inside the castle which are worth to visit.

Mehrjard Castle

Handicrafts
Potteries can be called as the most important handicraft in Meybod. This profession has more than thousand years of history in this city. There are traditional workshops as well as modern workshops making potteries. The patterns on the potteries are also another reason of interest. The patterns are mostly drawn using white and blue colors. Weaving is also another old profession in the area. Zilo, blanket, towel, etc. are among the handmade works of the city.