Mills built 1,000 years ago are still in operation in Iran

For modern equipment, 10-15 years is already considered a solid age. Some mechanisms fail due to natural wear and tear, while others are replaced with more advanced models. But the windmills of Nashtifan, located near the village of the same name in the Khorasan Razavi region, have been functioning for a thousand years and are still in excellent condition.

The windmills of Nashtifan are considered a historical monument of the Safavid era and are protected by the state. Such structures were once common throughout Persia, but they have survived to this day only in this place. Their uniqueness lies not only in their thousand-year age, but also in their original design, which differs from the usual European mills.

When we hear about windmills, we immediately imagine the European version with large blades rotating around a horizontal axis. It was with such a "monster" that Don Quixote fought, and it is precisely such structures that are considered one of the symbols of the Netherlands.

But if you see the ancient flour-making machines in Nashtifan, you will forget everything you knew about windmills. In Persian mills, the blades are located on vertical axes and are installed in several rows. The base of these structures is made of brick, clay and wood. Thanks to this, the mills of Nashtifan have a special charm and stability.

The Iranian mill consists of two floors. On the first floor there is a spacious hall with millstones that grind the grain. The second floor is designed to interact with the wind and generate the energy needed for the process. Research by scientists has shown that Nashtifan windmills are ideally adapted to the desert climate of Khorasan. The European version with large blades would work inefficiently in such conditions and would quickly fail.

European windmills are designed so that their upper part with wings rotates depending on the wind direction. But ancient Persian engineers did not encounter such a difficulty. After all, the name of the area Nashtifān is translated as "storm sting", and this is not accidental. In this area, strong desert winds blow in one direction for 120 days. Then the vector changes to the opposite. Thanks to this, windmills do not require any adjustment for efficient operation.

Today, you can find the ruins of more than 40 ancient mills in Nashtifan. All of them were built around the 8th-9th centuries AD. But only a few are in working order and are still capable of grinding grain. Of course, these mechanisms are now in operation thanks to man. In recent decades, only one specialist, Mohammed Yetebari, has been monitoring the condition of the monuments.

Mohammed learned about the mills from his predecessor. For many years, he carefully monitored their condition. But now the caretaker is old and looking for an apprentice to whom he could pass on the secrets of caring for the ancient mechanisms.

Despite their historical value, the mills are not a commercially viable project. Few tourists come here, and the monuments are supported only by state aid and the efforts of the caretaker.

Nashtifan's mills are not only a monument to the engineering thought of the past. They are also living evidence of the era when man skillfully used the forces of nature. Preserving these unique structures requires effort, but their significance for history and culture cannot be overestimated. Do you think such monuments could attract more tourists if other countries learned about them? Share your thoughts in the comments!