Fereshteh Pashaei kamali - Architechture and urban developement department, Maragheh Branch, Islamic Azad University, Maragheh, Iran

Windmills or windmills are mills that revolve with the power of wind. Windmills are the biggest collection of adobe, mud and timber structures that have come down to us from Iranian civilization. They stand sturdily there despite all the natural forces that have attempted to wash them away, destruct them or cause any harm. The windmills of this land are concentrated mainly in Sangan and Nashtifan area, dating back to the Safavid Dynasty (1501-1736).Two parallel walls ten meters high and four meters away from each other from the main structure of these windmills. To the north of this structure, there are huge fan wings that orbit with the blow of wind. This rotation makes the lever and lower mill stone revolve and consequently the process of milling and grinding materials begins. The Chahar-Farsakh village, unlike all other desert lands enjoys the presence of a huge aqueduct that helps agriculture flourish. Close to this aqueduct there are huge windmills that supplied the flour of the village and other communities in the vicinity till twenty years ago. In this area of the desert, where is influenced by the Sisatan 120-day seasonal winds, there is wind blowing for most part of the year. For this very reason the windmills have changed into the local industry and could be prosperous.

Windmill, Nashtifan, Khahf, wind