Anār

Anar lies between Yazd and Rafsanjan on the dry roads of central Iran. Its old citadel occupies a mound in the town, enclosed by walls and towers; its origins are considered pre-Islamic, though it was altered in later centuries. Medieval geographers knew the settlement as Aban, in a district associated with Rudan. Its desert setting brought hot summers and cold winters.

The name Anar became common by the Safavid period, when the citadel was rebuilt and used again. Caravanserais in the district, including those at Astaneh and Bayaz, also date to that era and were repaired in later generations. Their courtyards offered shelter to travellers and animals on the roads linking the settlements of Yazd and Kerman. The fort and caravanserais show the different needs of a town that served both local inhabitants and people passing through the desert.