Zoroastrian Fire Temple

Yazd is the heartland of Zoroastrianism, the ancient faith of Persia, and this temple — the Atash Behram, or “Victorious Fire” — is its most important sanctuary in Iran. The building itself is modern, completed in 1934 with the support of the Parsi community of India, but the flame inside is believed to have been kept alight since around AD 470, carried from temple to temple before reaching Yazd.

Above the entrance, set in a garden with a circular pool, is the Faravahar — a winged figure that symbolises the Zoroastrian principles of good thoughts, good words and good deeds. Visitors can see the fire burning in a large brass vessel behind glass; only priests may enter the inner chamber. Small panels explain the history and beliefs of a religion that still has a living community here.