Pigeon tower
Meybod, the city of gorgeous buildings, showcases a very rare treasure: Meybod Pigeon Tower. This unique structure may seem both captivating and strange to the modern world. But in the past, pigeon towers were of the most practical buildings in Iran. The Qajar era (1796 to 1925 AD) Pigeon Tower of Meybod, which is to the southeast of the town, is a real architectural beauty.
Amazing Iranian Pigeon Towers
In different parts of Iran, towers have been built that are known as Pigeon Towers. The Iranian pigeon towers were among the most practical buildings used by Persians and were usually built in a cylindrical shape. It should be noted that Pigeon Towers were built for different reasons and had various benefits.
In the past, people used these buildings to collect high quality acidic manure of pigeons and other birds. These places were once factories for making the best fertilizers in the world. They used these fertilizers in farms, gardens, and industries such as tannery, leather making, as well as gunpowder making. Another use of these birds was to use their meat for food.
It may be interesting to know that Chardin, a French tourist, commented on Persian Pigeon Towers during his trip to iran in Safavid era (1501 – 1736 AD). He said: “I think Iran is a country where the best Pigeon Towers in the world are built. These Pigeon Towers are six times larger than our largest bird sanctuaries in the West. There are more than 3,000 Pigeon Towers just around the historical city of Isfahan.''
The Architecture of Meybod Pigeon Tower – a Famous Iranian Pigeon Tower
Most of the Pigeon Towers in the country are near Isfahan and Yazd. The most famous among them is Meybod Pigeon Tower. This building is one of the wonders of Persian architecture. With a height of 8 meters, this building has the capacity of 4,000 nests for migratory pigeons. The tower’s nests are all rectangular and each nest can house more than one pigeon.
Beside the historical tower, you can see its cylindrical shape, original Persian style, and special architectural design. The Pigeon Tower has three floors, it has a hexagonal dome and you can see plaster and serrated decorations everywhere. The main materials used in this building, like other historical buildings in Yazd, are adobe and mud. On the roof of the Pigeon Tower, you can see four small towers with the height of 1.5 meters and a large tower, which was actually the entrance and exit of the pigeons.
