Meybod

Meybod is an old desert town on the Yazd to Isfahan road with an unusually complete set of the buildings that made desert settlement work, kept together in a walkable group. Narin Castle is a mud-brick citadel on a mound at the centre, built up in layers over a very long period with foundations that may be pre-Islamic, standing several storeys with ramps and chambers. Beside it are a Safavid caravanserai, a post house, a conical yakhchal ice house over a deep pit, and a pigeon tower built to house thousands of birds for their guano, used as fertiliser. Zilu weaving, a flat cotton floor covering specific to the town, is still done here and has its own small museum.

History

Meybod traces its origins to the pre-Islamic era, and Narin Castle is thought to go back to the Achaemenid and Sassanid periods. The Mozaffarid dynasty came from here, its first king, Mubariz al-Din Muhammad, was born in the town, and the historic city is on UNESCO's tentative list (Wikipedia, Meybod).

What's there

• Narin Castle - a layered mud-brick citadel on a mound.
• The pigeon tower - thousands of nesting holes, built for fertiliser.
• A conical yakhchal - the ice house over a sunken storage pit.
• Zilu weaving - the town's flat cotton floor covering, still made.

When to go

March to May and October to November. Half a day for the whole group of buildings. Mornings are cooler for the castle climb. It works as a stop between Yazd and Isfahan.

Good to know

The castle is eroding and parts are fenced off. Buildings are individually ticketed, which adds up. Some are locked outside main hours. There is little shade between the sites and the town is otherwise unremarkable.

Nearby

Kharanaq and Chak Chak are east; Yazd lies south-east.

Key facts