Dowlatabad Garden, Yazd. This garden has an aggregate of different buildings which were designed and constructed during the time of Mohammad Taqi Khan in the Zand era. It was the residence of Khan and his government and officials. The wind trapper of this garden is 33 meters high and is considered an architectural masterpiece and a symbol of the Yazdi architects' genius, mental ability, talent and art.
A windcatcher is an architectural device used for many centuries to create natural ventilation in buildings. The function of this tower is to catch cooler breeze that prevail at a higher level above the ground and to direct it into the interior of the buildings. It is not known who first invented the windcatcher, although some claim it originated in Iran.
Windcatchers come in various designs, such as the uni-directional, bi-directional, and multi-directional. Examples of windcatchers can be found in traditional Persian influenced architecture throughout the Middle East. Central Iran has a very large day-night temperature difference, ranging from cool to extremely hot, and the air tends to be very dry all day long. Most buildings are constructed of very thick ceramics with extremely high insulation values. Furthermore, towns centered on desert oases tend to be packed very closely together with high walls and ceilings relative to Western architecture, maximizing shade at ground level. The heat of direct sunlight is minimized with small windows that do not face the sun.