A windcatcher (Badgir; بادگیر) 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. Windcatchers come in various designs, such as the uni-directional, bi-directional, and multi-directional. Motto: Persian: Esteqlāl, āzādÄ«, jomhÅ«rÄ«-ye eslāmÄ« (English: Independence, freedom, Islamic Republic) (de facto); Allahu Akbar (Allah is great) (de jure) Anthem: SorÅ«d-e MellÄ«-e Īrān Capital (largest city) Tehran Persian Government Islamic Republic  - Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei  - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Establishment... The Baháí House of Worship by Fariborz Sahba, also known as the Lotus Temple. ...

Function

It is believed that the windcatcher functions based on the difference of height between base and tip. The height difference creates a slight pressure gradient between the base (which is inside the house) and the tip of the windcatcher's column whenever a breeze or wind passes through the tip of the windcatcher (that is not felt at the base). The pressure gradient then helps suck out the warmer air inside the house up through the column leaving the denser cooler air behind. The cumulative effect over a 24 hour period is quite noticeable. Pressure Gradient is the change in pressure over a distance. ...

When coupled with thick adobe that exhibits high heat transmission resistance qualities (R-value), the windcatcher is able to chill lower level spaces in mosques and houses (e.g. shabestan) in the middle of the day to frigid temperatures. It has been suggested that Mudbrick be merged into this article or section. ... The R-value is a measure of thermal resistance. ... A Shabestan or Shabistan is an underground space that can be usually found in traditional architecture of mosques, houses, and schools in ancient Persia (Iran). ...

So effective has been the windcatcher in Persian architecture that it has been routinely used as a refrigerating device (yakhchal) for ages. Many traditional water reservoirs (ab anbars) are built with windcatchers that are capable of storing water at near freezing temperatures for months in summer. The Baháí House of Worship by Fariborz Sahba, also known as the Lotus Temple. ... Yakh-chal A yakh-chāl is an ancient natural refrigerator. ... An ab anbar with double domes and windcatchers in the central desert city of Naeen, near Yazd. ...

The structural design of badgirs are such that they do not seem to function as efficiently when used in humid conditions, as opposed to the dry conditions seen in the Iranian plateau. Hence the ubiquitous use of these devices in drier areas such as Yazd, Kashan, Nain, and Bam. This is especially visible in ab anbars that use windcatchers. The city of Yazd, as seen from the tall minarets of its 12th century mosque. ... Tabatabaei House, early 1800s, Kashan. ... Nain may refer to: Nain, an Iranian city. ... Bam or BAM may mean: Bam, Iran Bam Province, Burkina Faso ISO 639 code for Bambara language Bam Margera An onomatopoeia for a sound. ... An ab anbar with double domes and windcatchers in the central desert city of Naeen, near Yazd. ...

A small windcatcher (badgir) is called a "shish-khan" in traditional Persian architecture. Shish-khans can still be seen on top of ab anbars in Qazvin, and other northern cities in Iran. These seem to be more designed as a pure ventilating device, as opposed to temperature regulators, as their larger cousins in the central deserts of Iran are. An ab anbar with double domes and windcatchers in the central desert city of Naeen, near Yazd. ... Qazvin may refer to: Qazvin (city) Qazvin province Note: Qazvin province was created in 1996; older references to Qazvin are invariably to the city. ...

Gallery

The windcatcher of "Dowlat-abad" in Yazd, is one of the tallest extant windcatchers. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1704x2272, 917 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Yazd Windcatcher Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... The city of Yazd, as seen from the tall minarets of its 12th century mosque. ...

Qajari era architecture of Hormozgan province. The sea-facing four windcatchers create natural cool ventilation inside the house during the hot days of summer. ImageMetadata File history File links Bandar-abbas-old. ... The Qajar dynasty was the ruling family of Persia from 1796 to 1925. ... Qeshm Island is a protected UNESCO biosphere reserve, seen here on a stormy day in The Persian Gulf. ...

Borujerdi ha House, in central Iran. Built in 1857, it is an excellent example of ancient Persian desert architecture. The two tall windcatchers cool the andaruni section of the house. Borujerdi ha House, built 1857. ... View facing south and main dome of talar. ...

The 130 year old House of Haj Ali Khan Zand, Qajar era, is adorned by a windcatcher. Image File history File links Photo provided by Zereshk. ... The Qajar dynasty was the ruling family of Persia from 1796 to 1925. ...

A Wind Tower

A Wind Tower (Persian:bad gir,Arabic: badghir(from Persian)) is a structure seen on ancient buildings of the Middle East, particularly Iran and Bahrain. This acted like a natural air conditioner creating a soothing effect in the harsh conditions of the desert. Image File history File links WindTower. ... Image File history File links WindTower. ... Persian, (local name: Fārsī or Pārsī), is an Indo-European language spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and by minorities in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Southern Russia, neighboring countries, and elsewhere. ... Arabic can mean: From or related to Arabia From or related to the Arabs The Arabic language; see also Arabic grammar The Arabic alphabet, used for expressing the languages of Arabic, Persian, Malay ( Jawi), Kurdish, Panjabi, Pashto, Sindhi and Urdu, among others. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...

The emergence of a traditional Bahraini and Persian Gulf style of architecture arose as people migrated to Bahrain with the growth of the pearl trade. With newfound wealth, the merchants built houses of note in the 18th and 19th centuries. The people of Ahvaz in Iran, for example, came and brought with them new architectural designs, including the distinctive wind tower which can be seen so prominently in the Awadiya area and elsewhere in Bahrain. This distinguishing feature was adapted locally with its own distinctive decorative motifs. The wind tower, an early and very effective form of air conditioning, has in fact been around for about 500 years and was developed from the early Wind Scoops first built about 2,000 years ago in Iran. It has been suggested that Persian Gulf States be merged into this article or section. ... White pearls strung on a necklace. ... The city of Ahvaz, sometimes has mistakenly transcribed as Ahwaz (Persian: اَهواز ahvāz) , is capital of the Iranian province of Khuzestan. ...

In Muharraq and also in parts of Manama there are many buildings, which are no more than two storeys high and houses built with natural ventilation, using wind towers and badghirs, the devices for speeding up the flow of air and which consists of horizontal slats in the lower part of the walls. Badghir means ‘wind trap’ and is also the word used to describe the wind tower. Categories: Middle East geography stubs | Bahrain ... Bahrain from space, June 1996 Manama (Arabic: المنامة Al-Manāmah) is the capital city of Bahrain and is the countrys largest city with a population of approximately 155,000, roughly a quarter of countrys entire population. ...

See also

• Persian architecture
• Yakhchal
• Solar chimney

The Baháí House of Worship by Fariborz Sahba, also known as the Lotus Temple. ... Yakh-chal A yakh-chāl is an ancient natural refrigerator. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Solar Tower. ...

External links

• Yazd, the city of windcatchers.
• The famous Dowlat-abad windcatcher in Yazd
• Windcatchers are incorporated into the architectural expression of traditional Persian buildings. Notice this sample, with 6 symmetrical badgirs, in Yazd.

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