Climate and City

Iran is an arid country. It is characterized by shortage of water, higher evaporation than precipitation, low relative humidity, intense solar radiation during hot summer days, high daily and seasonal temperature ranges, torrential (but sporadic) spurts of precipitation, and damaging sand and dust storms. Through centuries of coping with these climatic conditions, Iranians learned to build their settlements in a way to minimize the impact of solar radiation and harmful and unpleasant winds, and to optimize shade, breeze, and water.

Traditional cities adopted a compact urban form that included narrow winding streets, buildings set close together, houses with courtyard ponds, covered bazaars, and wind capturing towers. The compact city form minimizes the empty space that can become a source of heat during the day and cold at night. The narrow winding streets provide shade for the passersby and protect them from sand and dust-laden storms. The courtyard ponds provide the surrounding rooms with cool air through evaporation. Wind towers harness cool air to cool off the rooms below. The covered bazaar protects shoppers from rain and cold and allows cool air to circulate.

Built in 512 B.C., Persepolis was the center for ceremonies and worship during the ancient Achaemenid Empire, which lasted from 550–330 B.C. This great empire was established by Cyrus the Great. Later, under Darius the Great, the Empire stretched from India to the Nile River. Darius ordered the construction of a magnificent palace at Persepolis, which can still be seen in these ruins today.