Nashtifan Windmills, A Thousand Years Old

Nashtifan Windmills. If you are curious to know more about the oldest windmills in the world, now is the time!

Nashtifan windmills, an architecturally gorgeous monument, and a historically important attraction, invites the travelers to witness the wind and desert culture and society. Still in use after 1000 years, makes this place a must-see attraction.

Nashtifan is a small town in southern parts of Razavi Khorasan Province, 20 kilometers away from Khaf County and some 30 kilometers away from Iran-Afghanistan border, in which these oldest windmills in the world exist. You can also reach here from Mashhad after 291 Kilometers in a private car or with an expert Marcopolo’s driver guide. There are two eco lodges in Nashtifan if you want to stay overnight and experience desert night.

Nashtifan windmills are there due to the strong winds called 120-Day-Winds, one of the main characteristics of the area. The original name had been “Nish Toofan” which means “storm’s sting”. Storm refers to the strong winds that blow across this area and the sting refers to scorpions which are inhabitants in the deserts around. Nashtifan Windmills can withstand winds with a speed of 120 kilometers per hour. There are about 30 windmills in Nashtifan. Experts say these are the earliest windmills in the world which are totally designed by ancient Persians back in 500-900 A.D. and still spin.

Nashtifan windmills have been built from natural clay, straw, and wood and can reach the heights of 15-20 meters and have been used for milling grain into flour for almost more than 1000 years. These windmills like Shushtar’s historical hydraulic system and so many others are a sign of Persians’ industrial creativity.