TEHRAN – A centuries-old ice storage has undergone restoration as its routine maintenance requirements in the southern Iranian city of Kerman.

Yakhchal-e Zarisf, which is named after the neighborhood it stands in, has undergone minor restoration, CHTN quoted a local tourism official as saying on Sunday.

Gutters and worn-out thatched layers of the ice storage are among the elements being treated in the current season of repair, the official said.

Ancient architects constructed Yakhchals in hot and dry regions to adapt to the climate, and in Kerman, they used these clay and mud tanks to produce ice in winter and store and preserve it for consumption in summer, the official explained.

The word Yakhchal stands for “ice pit.”These oddly shaped structures provided the space and conditions to store ice as well as many types of food that rot at high temperatures.

From the outside, Yahchal’s mud brick structure dominates the skyline with its domed shape, and inside it incorporates an evaporative cooling system that keeps the ice cold or even frozen when stored underground.

A typical Yakhchal is about 15 meters tall and includes a large storage space. The building’s evaporative cooling system acted as a screen, and water was supplied from nearby wells via pallets, the area's common water pipe system for transporting water through homes and various structures. The walls use a special mortar with components such as egg white and goat hair to provide good insulation and protection from the scorching desert sun.

AM