Yazd has a history of over 5000 years, dating back to the time of the Median Empire; the present city name is derived from Yazdegerd I, a Sassanid king. The city was definitely a Zoroastrian center during Sassanid times. Yazd is an important center of Persian architecture. Because of its climate, it has one of the largest networks of Qanats in the world, and Yazdi Qanat makers are considered the most skilled in Iran. To deal with the extremely hot summers, many old buildings in Yazd have magnificent windcatchers, and large underground area. There is a Tower of Silence on the outskirts, and the city itself has a Fire Temple which holds a fire that has been kept alight continuously since 470 AD.
A windcatcher is architectural device used for many centuries to create natural ventilation in buildings. The function of this tower is to catch cooler breeze that prevail at a higher level above the ground and to direct it into the interior of the buildings.
