Yazd

Yazd یزد
Clockwise from top: Amir Chakhmaq Complex, Yazd Fire Temple, Dowlat Abad Garden, Baft Ghadim Yazd and Panorama
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Yazd
Coordinates: 31°53′50″N 54°22′4″E / 31.89722°N 54.36778°E / 31.89722; 54.36778Coordinates: 31°53′50″N 54°22′4″E / 31.89722°N 54.36778°E / 31.89722; 54.36778
Country	Iran
Province	Yazd
County	Yazd
Bakhsh	Central
Elevation	1,216 m (3,990 ft)
Population (2011)
• Total	486,152
Demonym(s)	Yazdi (en)
Time zone	IRST (UTC+3:30)
• Summer (DST)	IRDT (UTC+4:30)
Area code(s)	035
Climate	BWh
Website	yazd.ir

Yazd (Persian: یزد‎‎,  /jæzd/ ), formerly also known as Yezd, is the capital of Yazd Province, Iran. The city is located 270 km (170 mi) southeast of Esfahan. At the 2011 census, the population was 486,152.

Because of generations of adaptations to its desert surroundings, Yazd has a unique Persian architecture. It is nicknamed the "City of Windcatchers" (شهر بادگیرها, Shahr-e Badgirha) from its many examples. It is also very well known for its Zoroastrian fire temples, ab anbars, qanats, yakhchals, Persian handicrafts, handwoven cloth (termeh), silk weaving, and its time-honored confectioneries.

Yazd has a history of over 5,000 years, dating back to the time of the Median empire, when it was known as Ysatis or Issatis. The present city name, however, is derived from Yazdegerd I, a Sassanid ruler of Persia. The city was definitely a Zoroastrian center during Sassanid times. After the Arab conquest of Iran, many Zoroastrians migrated to Yazd from neighboring provinces. By paying a levy, Yazd was allowed to remain Zoroastrian even after its conquest, and Islam only gradually became the dominant religion in the city.