Dakhmeh-ye Zartoshtiyun


Abandoned in the 1960s, these evocative Zoroastrian Towers of Silence are set on two lonely, barren hilltops on the southern outskirts of Yazd. Several buildings used for the ceremonial preparation of bodies dot the site, while the modern Zoroastrian cemetery is nearby. An elderly man at the entrance is often on hand to pose for a photograph: he is the last remaining porter of bodies, whose responsibility it once was to transport the deceased up the steep path to their final resting place.

The easiest way to reach the towers from central Yazd is by taxi dar bast (one way/return with waiting time IR100,000/350,000). It takes around 45 minutes to climb to the top of the towers and back.


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