Old City of Ardakan

Old City of Ardakan, A Miracle of Iranian Architecture

With an area of more than 50 acres, Old City of Ardakan in Yazd is one of the biggest clay structures in Iran. Having 12 districts and gates and being surrounded by 4 tower walls, this old city is a beautiful sample of the most integrated, most intact, and liveliest historic structures in Iran. This old city has all the elements specific to a historical desert city; elements like the urban beautiful image, harmonious buildings, big mosques, exclusive Darbands, proportioned gates, several ab anbars, integral districts, narrow and narrow alleys, etc.

The historical structure of Ardakan

Old city of Ardakan is a city with high and stable badgirs which is the historical heritage at the heart of the desert. All its alleys are intertwined with narrow corridors where you can deeply breathe the pleasant small of clay. The corridors are cozy and cool shelters against the burning rays of the sun and the sunshades for tired pedestrians. You can hear the children playing happily in this historic place which show people live here and this old city is still active. Old city of Ardakan was registered in Iran National Monuments list with the registration number of 10845.

The boom of Old City of Ardakan

Caravansaries, museums, and historical houses with lofty badgirs can be seen along these corridors. These monuments carry the name of some important characters like Majd-al-Olama, Sadr-al-Fozala, Molla Taqi, Ayatollah Khatami, Afzali, Sanaee, Taqdiri, and etc. 

In the old city of Ardakan, there are also traditional bazaars like Chaharsooq which are momentos from Qajar era and cover more than one kilometer of old city of Ardakan. In these bazaars which are located under sabats, you can see life going on and shop works of handicrafts which reflect genius and adaptability of the people from the desert. In addition to these bazaars, Jame Mosque of Ardakan, Zardok Mosque, Kooshkeno Mosque, Zir-e-Deh Mosque with their turquoise clay domes and the finials stretched to the sky continue are some of the other elements of the active life. Dezhog Mill, traditional hammams, and circular shaped ab anbars are other parts of the old city of Ardakan which cool down the desert water and refresh hearts and souls of the people of Ardakan. 

There is also a narrow covered alley in this old city located between the Jame Mosque and the hammam of bazaar known as Ashti Konoon alley. In fact, this alley was built to protect the limits of the mosque and the women's public entrance to hammam of bazaar. This hammam dates back to Qajar era and was registered in Iran National Monuments List with the registration number of 11072.

The Historical Places and Tourist Attractions in Ardakan

Ardakan country has several tourist attractions in addition to the existing ones in the old city; some of which are briefly introduced as follow: 
Chak Chak ( Pir-e- Sabz Shrine )
As inhabitants of Ardakan are Zoroastrians as well as Muslims, there are many Zoroastrians tourist attractions most of which are sacred places where annual religious ceremonies are held. Chak Chak , Pir Harisht, Pars Banoo, Pir Narasteh are among the most important Zoroastrian shrines that are visited by many tourists. Every year Zoroastrians from around the world gather in these sacred places for five days in May and worship Ahura Mazda. One of the most important one of these places is Chak Chak located in the heart of a mountain near Ardakan.

Jame Mosque of Ardakan

Jame Mosque of Ardakan is one of the oldest numerous historical mosques in Ardakan which dates back to Safavid era and has two winter and summer residency sections.  There is a Quran section belonging to 911 A.H which is the oldest relic of the mosque. Jame Mosque of Ardakan was registered in Iran National Monuments List with the registration number of 2239.

Kharanaq Castle

Kharanaq Village is one of the oldest parts in Yazd which was previously known as Khuranaq where Zoroastrians used to live and it is surrounded by Kharanaq Castle. The high walls between six guarding towers have kept this castle. Having two gates, Kharanaq Castle was a place for keeping provision and fodder. It had two or more floors buildings, a Jameh Mosque with the highest menar jonban (moving minaret) in the region, two water mills, and a hammam. This monument was registered in Iran National Monuments List with the registration number of 11509.

Museum of Anthropology in Ardakan

Museum of Anthropology in Ardakan was opened in 1991 and has several sections including culture, anthropology, Iranian study, botany, and zoology. Having more than 1000 pieces, its anthropology section is one of the richest one of the museum.

Sharif Abad Towers of Silence 

Sharif Abad Towers of Silence are the most intact buildings made of rubbles, slates, ballasts, lime, mud, and limestone in 1846.

Qaleh-ye Khargushi Caravanserai in Ardakan

Qaleh-ye Khargushi Caravanserai in Ardakan is one of the caravanserais in Shah Abbas Safavid era and is located near Gavkhuni Wetland. The most exquisite monument left in this caravanserai is an inscription dating back to 1023 A.H which bears lines by the famous Abbasid calligrapher, Alireza Abbasi, and shines on facade of Qaleh-ye Khargushi Caravanserai.
In addition to these historical attractions, Ardakan has many other natural attractions like deserts, springs, pistachio gardens, pomegranate gardens, Ardakan Qanat.

The Souvenirs and Handicrafts of Ardakan

The handicrafts of Ardakan are the art works of hardworking and contended people which have done their best with the least facilities and have created beautiful arts like weaving baskets with pomegranate twigs, making wicker broom with date twigs, Karbafi (cloth weaving), matting, steel yarding, carpet weaving, chain making, Kalaksazi (Ney making), forging ( brazier making, lock making, tool making), making tools with copper and zinc, traditional spicery ( henna and spice grating), Assari (oil pressing), handmade carpets of Ardakan.
In addition to these precious handcrafts, Ardakan is famous for other exclusive souvenirs which above all is sesame products. These products have been made here for 500 years and are well known nationally and internationally. It is interesting to know that this city is an industrial hub due to the sesame products in Iran which are registered in Iran National Heritage List.
These sesame products include tahini, sesame pasta, and sesame oil which are the most important and famous souvenirs of Ardakan.