Meybod Yakhchal

Let's visit one of the important structures in Meybod which was built in Safavid Dynasty, Meybod adobe Yakhchal ( icehouse ).

Meybod Yakhchal

When stepping toward Yakhchal, the first structure that we can see is main shadowing wall with a length of 24 m, a thickness of 2 m and a height of 8 m. This wall was built to shadow over mud shallow bars around a mud pool. We pass the mud shallow pool with depth of 50 cm and area of about 8000 m2 to enter Yakhchal . 
Entering Yakhchal, we will see a round pond with depth of 6 m and mouth of 13 m which is surrounded with a platform of 1.5 m. Here is the place that we call as the reservoir under the dome.
One of the most interesting parts of Yakhchal is its dome with an area of 300 m² and a height of 15 m. The adobe wall of the dome was 240 cm at the bottom and was 20 cm (as width of an adobe) at the top. So the pressure of dome on building foundations was eliminated.
Visiting this building, we surely will admire the creativity and talent of residents of this region for building such structures compatible to their environment which have remained for centuries.

Performance of Meybod Yakhchal

Let's review a brief summary of Yakhchal ( ice house ) performance: icehouses were used on two occasions. One occasion was in winter for storing ice in the reservoir and covering it with chaff and straw and another was in summer for taking ice for consumption. In icy winter nights, water from qanats were lead to mud pools located behind the shadowing wall to be frozen and form thick and firm pieces of ice. Then these thick compact pieces of ice were broken down and stored in the reservoir under the dome. 

Interesting Technics for Storing Ice in Meybod Ice House

There were technics for storing ice. Some of these technics are as follows: some water was splashed on the pieces of ice to prevent them from melting for a longer time; there was a hole at the bottom of the reservoir to empty the melted water; there was a window at the top of the dome and it was open in winter so the cold air can expose the pieces of ice and it was closed in summer to prevent sun beam melting the ice; when the ice source was filled with ice it was covered with a layer of hay to and ice houses were built of adobe and mud to prevent propulsion of hot air and egression of cold air .
In hot summer days, iceman (who was in charge of Yakhchal) delivered ice in certain hours in the morning and sunset. In this way, three steps of "ice making", "ice storing", and "ice delivery" were accomplished in a single place.

Meybod Yakhchal was registered in Iran National Monuments on January 5, 1997 with registration No. 1826.
For more information about Meybod Yakhchal, please contact Raadina Support.