Climate : Warm
yazd County (Persian: شهرستان یزد) is a county in
yazd Province in
Iran. The capital of the county is
yazd. At the 2006 census, the county's population was 515,044, in 138,108 families.
yazd is the capital of
yazd Province,
Iran, and a centre
...see more of Zoroastrian culture. The city is located 270 km (170 mi) southeast of Isfahan. At the 2006 census, the population was 423,006, in 114,716 families.
Because of generations of adaptations to its desert surroundings, yazd is an architecturally unique city. It is also known in Iran for the high quality of its handicrafts, especially silk weaving, and its confectionary.
yazd is the driest major city in Iran, with an average annual rainfall of only 60 millimetres (2.4 in), and also the hottest north of the Persian Gulf coast, with summer temperatures very frequently above 40 °C (104 °F) in blazing sunshine with no humidity.
Even at night the temperatures in summer are rather uncomfortable. In the winter, the days remain mild and sunny, but in the morning the thin air and low cloudiness cause very cold temperatures that can sometimes fall well below 0 °C (32 °F).
The city has a history of over 3,000 years, dating back to the time of the Median empire, when it was known as Ysatis (or Issatis). The present city name has however been derived from Yazdegerd I, a Sassanid ruler.
The city was definitely a Zoroastrian centre during Sassanid times and Islam gradually became the dominant religion in the city.
Because of its remote desert location and the difficulty of approach, yazd had remained largely immune to large battles and the destruction and ravages of war.
For instance, it was a haven for those fleeing from destruction in other parts of Persia during the invasion of Genghis Khan. It was visited by Marco Polo in 1272, who remarked on the city's fine silk-weaving industry.
It briefly served as the capital of the Muzaffarid Dynasty in the fourteenth century, and was unsuccessfully besieged in 1350−1351 by the Injuids under Shaikh Abu Ishaq.
The Friday (or Congregation) Mosque, arguably the city's greatest architectural landmark, as well as other important buildings, Date to this period.
During the Qajar dynasty (18th Century AD) it was ruled by the Bakhtiari Khans.
People of yazd are very famous for being peaceful, strategist, and hardworking. One of the notable things about yazd is its very family centric culture.
According to the official statistics by Iran's National Organization for Civil Registration, yazd is among the 3 cities with lowest divorce rates in Iran.
The Pir-e-Naraki sanctuary as one the important pilgrimage destinations for Zoroastrians to have annual congregation and frequent visits during the year is now also a famous tourist spot.
Such a transformation has occurred several times.
The other type of public presence which created a certain urban form is the Muslim parades and congregational events. They are mainly Processions called “Azadari” are held to commemorate and remember the events that took for main Islamic Martyrs and important figures.
These events due to their huge public scene created chains of spaces which in times other than the events were also used as spaces to tour main spots in the city since most of them were juxtaposed to important urban monuments
Always known for the quality of its silk and carpets, yazd today is one of Iran's industrial centers for textiles.
There is also a considerable Ceramics and construction materials industry and unique confectionery and jewellery industries. A significant portion of the population is also employed in other industries including agriculture, dairy, metal works and machine manufacturing.
There are a number of companies involved in the growing information technology industry, mainly manufacturing primary materials such as cables and connectors.
Currently yazd is the home of the largest manufacturer of fibre optics in Iran.
yazd's confectioneries have a tremendous following throughout Iran, which has been a source of tourism for the city. Workshops (experts or khalifehs) keep their recipes a guarded secret and there are many that have remained a private family business for many generations.
Baghlava, ghotab and pashmak are the most popular sweets made in the city.
In 2000 the yazd Water Museum opened; it features exhibits of water storage vessels and historical technologies related to water.
yazd has expanded its industrial fields since the 1980s. With over 3 main industrial areas each containing over 70 different factories, yazd has become one of the most technologically advanced cities of Iran.
The most famous corporations include yazd Steel, Shimi Plastic yazd, and yazd Polymer.
Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/yazd
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yazd_County
