Photos: Windcatchers in Baft, Iran

02/28/11 Photos by Amir Ghaderi, Mehr News Agency

A windcatcher is a traditional Persian architectural device used for many centuries to create natural ventilation in buildings. It is not known who first invented the windcatcher, but it still can be seen in many countries today.



A windcatcher in Baft, Iran

Windcatchers come in various designs: uni-directional, bi-directional, and multi-directional. Examples of windcatchers can be found in traditional Persian-influenced architecture throughout the Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan.



The phots presneted here show some of the windcatchers in the town of Baft located in Kerman province of Iran. Baft has a population of 37,000 and is at an elevation of 2270 m. The town is located 155 kilometers southwestern of the provincial city of Kerman.



































