In Sabzevar’s archeological excavations signs have been found belonging to 4500 years ago. Human habitats in this area go back to at least the third millennium BC. The Parthians had a well-known base in Sabzevar, and during the Sassanid era, Sabzevar held the fire of Azarborzin fire temple. With such a background, it is not surprising that there are many historical monuments in Sabzevar from the most remote millennia to the last century.
Sabzevar was known as Beyhaq in the middle history of Iran. What remains of the historic Sabzevar is just one of the 12 sections of the historic Beyhaq. The rise and falls of this city in history, has caused many changes, but it was in the 8th century that the name of Sabzevar was heard more than at any other time. At that time, the city of Sabzevar was the base of the Sarbedaran government and the center of many events.
As mentioned above, Sabzevar is full of historic relics, and some of them can be seen among the old structures of the city. Among them the built-in freezers and reservoirs are more outstanding. In the past there were many built-in freezers (structure built of clay and brick for cooling and freezing water) in Sabzevar, of which only 9 are lift. In the southern part of Sabzevar, three freezers from the Qajar period can be seen, conical in shape, used to cool water and make ice. These beautifully built freezers were built from simple material such as clay and brick.
One of the oldest reservoirs in Iran can also be found in Sabzevar. This water reservoir is called the “Hashtpayeh.” Its construction dates back to the 8th century, during the reign of Sarbedaran over Sabzevar. It was a turbulent time when they built the Sabzevar Reservoir, and they paid so much attention to its sturdiness that it remains stable despite the passage of several centuries. This structure is the oldest reservoir in Sabzevar.
The Hashtpayeh reservoir is rectangular and is built on eight pillars. In other words, it is a rectangular tank with square bases. Hashtpayeh Reservoir was nationally registered in June 1390, when investigations showed that it is a surviving work from the 8th century in Iran. Because of its long history, the use of the Sabzevar reservoir has changed over time; sometimes it was the only water reservoir, sometimes it was a canteen, and sometimes it was a place for traditional sports.
On the outskirts of Sabzevar, 7 ancient reservoirs have been found, all of which are situated in the villages close to the city: villages of Fakhrabad, Bahmanabad, Khosroabad, Naman, and Zafaranieh. All these reservoirs cover a historical period from the time of the Ilkhans to the Qajar period and are very worthy of attention from this point of view. In this historical period, the course of building these reservoirs and how they were built and also their architectural transformations can be examined.
Reservoirs have various levels in their building: they are either square, rectangular or circular. The wall that separates the tank and the abutment forms a space called pashir. Many stairs are built that connect the outer space of the reservoir to the inner area. A pit is built inside the reservoir’s tank where water sediments are collected. These sediments are removed every one in a while. The tanks would be filled with surface water in winter and spring, to be used in summer when water was scarce. The use of Saroj in the walls of water reservoirs also made it possible to store drinking water and not pollute it. This was also an excellent way to keep water. They built the reservoirs up to two meters high and carefully arranged the bricks and mortar that held them. All these showed the importance of the reservoir in people’s lives in the past. Its importance has not been forgotten despite modern technology, and it is still used in many villages and cities, in desert areas of Iran.
