Rostam Giv Water Reservoir

Water reservoirs, which were an important part of qanats, existed in large numbers in the desert cities of Iran.

Yazd being one of the desert cities of Iran, has a number of water reservoirs, many of which do not exist or are not functional today due to the modern piping system of supplying water to households. There are, however, a few water reservoirs such as the Rostam Giv Water Reservoir, which are still standing in this city. This reservoir is located in the Zoroastrian neighborhood of Yazd and certain restoration operations were carried out for preserving it in the year 2018.

The Usage of the Rostam Giv Reservoir

Rostam Giv Reservoir is a covered tank that is located lower than the ground level. In most parts of Iran, these reservoirs were filled with water from qanats and sometimes with water from rivers in order to meet the needs of the people living around them.

In order to make access to water reservoirs easier, they were built in crowded places. Therefore, many reservoirs have been built next to caravanserais or mosques. Considering the high cost of building a water reservoir, the existence of a personal water reservoir for a residential house indicated the financial capacity of the owner of the house. Therefore, in general, water reservoirs were built in two types, public and private.

The reservoirs also had windcatchers, the number of which was determined based on the size and amount of water in them. Usually, large reservoirs, such as the Rostam Giv Reservoir, had four windcatchers. Reservoirs with six windcatchers can also be seen in different parts of Iran, although their number is limited.

Even though the Rostam Giv Reservoir has lost its usage, the splendor and beauty of this building and the history behind it make it very enjoyable to visit.

Architecture of Rostam Giv Water Reservoir

Rostam Giv Reservoir has been built on a smooth and level ground. According to the available evidence, the year of its construction dates back to 1941 AD, and it had taken two years to complete it. Since a person named Rostam Giv, who was the representative of Zoroastrians of Yazd in the Legislative Assembly of that time, had undertaken the costs of its construction, this reservoir was named after him. The architecture of this reservoir was done by Haj Mohammad Ebrahim Khorramshahi and Arbab Jamshid Amanat.

The main materials used to build the reservoir were bricks, clay, and Saroj, which is one of the old Iranian materials obtained by mixing clay and lime in a ratio of two to three. The bricks used are of the type used for making brick pavements, which were made from a mixture of fine sedimentary stone. This mixture is made under high pressure and its use gives a beautiful effect to the construction.

The Components of Rostam Giv Water Reservoir

Like other reservoirs that can be seen in Iran, the Rostam Giv Reservoir also has certain components and parts. The dome of this reservoir, which is made in the shape of a hemisphere on the ground, is clearly recognizable. The four windcatchers of this reservoir stand out with their high height and square shape. These windcatchers played the role of air conditioning and kept the water inside the tanks cool.

The water tank is another part of the reservoir. The tank of this reservoir is made in the shape of a cylinder and has the capacity to store 2300 cubic meters of water. The diameter of the mouth of this source is 14 meters and its depth is about 15 meters. A porch has also been built for the water reservoir, which is decorated with simple and beautiful motifs and framing.

This reservoir had two entrances, and residents of two neighborhoods, about two kilometers apart, could enter the reservoir from both sides and use it. The residents of one of these neighborhoods were Zoroastrians and the residents of the other neighborhood were Muslims.

Rostam Giv Water Reservoir was inscribed on the list of Iran’s national heritage in the year 1996 AD.

Since a person named Rostam Giv, who was the representative of Zoroastrians of Yazd in the Legislative Assembly of that time, had undertaken the costs of its construction, this reservoir was named after him.