Gate of Farafar

Around Yazd


This ancient structure, standing on the edge of Yazd, is of disputed origin. Estimated to be at least 1000 years old, it may represent the only remaining wall of a domed mausoleum or it may have been constructed as a gateway to the town. Either way, it makes for a good photographic opportunity as it frames a modern sculpture of Arash the Archer, a figure drawn from Persian mythology, that sits in the field nearby.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Around Yazd attractions

1. Saryazd Fortress

0.1 MILES

This wonderful old castle was once used as a giant safety deposit box for the protection of grains, jewellery and other valuables. The fortifications are…

2. Masjed-e Jameh

11.33 MILES

The mosque’s internal courtyard, vaulted sanctuary and arcades date from the Sassanid period, although its cylindrical clay minaret is more recent – built…

3. Dakhmeh-ye Zartoshtiyun

18.22 MILES

Abandoned in the 1960s, these evocative Zoroastrian Towers of Silence are set on two lonely, barren hilltops on the southern outskirts of Yazd. Several…

4. Mirror & Lighting Museum

19.62 MILES

This elegant 20th-century mansion, dating from the 1940s, was confiscated after the 1978 revolution and has been converted into a quirky and fun museum…

5. Haftom-e Tir Park

19.62 MILES

Often dotted with the tents of refugees being granted free medical treatment in Iran, this park offers a shady place to wander on a hot summer's day.

6. Henna Mill

20.07 MILES

The lanes off Kashani St, near the Mirror & Lighting Museum, are home to a number of henna mills. With their huge grinding stones, rotated against a flat…

7. Ateshkadeh

21.12 MILES

Often referred to as the Zoroastrian Fire Temple, this elegant neoclassical building, reflected in an oval pool in the garden courtyard, houses a flame…

8. Clocktower

21.43 MILES

This structure in the middle of the city is a useful landmark for navigating between Yazd's key sights and bazaars.