Sarayan is one of the reservoir cities of Iran, and these spectacular structures have been built more or less abundantly in that city and its suburbs. It is good to know that in the list of Iran’s national and historical monuments, six Sarayan reservoirs are also included, as another sign of the historical and civilizational antiquity of this part of our country. Fazel Khani reservoir is one of the old structures of this land, which is good to study more closely.
The architecture of Sarayan reservoirs, along with their benefiting the public, are treasures that deserves to be studied and preserved. However, it is suspected that the Sarayan reservoirs have not been spared of damage, as is expected.
Sarayan is a city in South Khorasan province. From Birjand, the province’s capital, to Sarayan, there is a 160-kilometer road ahead. This city is on the outskirts of the desert and next to the mountain range called Shatran; it has an ancient and historic texture and signs that speak of a history going back to several centuries. The city of Sarayan is a sightseeing spot for tourists. The Fazel Khani reservoir was built next to the historical caravanserai and the market.
As mentioned earlier, the construction of the reservoir dates back to the Safavid era, in 1077 and during the reign of Shah Suleiman the Safavid. Its founder was a scientist named Fazel Toni. This structure is built of 4 parts: the entrance, staircase, pashir (tap area) and the tank. The portal is simple in design, and its 40-step staircase leads to a cylindrical tank. This tank accumulates 350 cubic meters of water.
Material used in construction of this reservoir are brick, plaster and mortar, which is the reason for its durability and stability. Fazel Khani reservoir is one of the strongest holding historical reservoirs left in south Khorasan. This is also why this reservoir is still usable, and its tank is filled with the freshwater of Kariz city. It is worth noting that a ceremony is held every year when filling the reservoir, which we will talk more about. The water refilling ceremony of this reservoir is registered in the list of intangible heritages of Iran, and the reservoir itself is recorded in the list of national heritages. Filling the reservoir is done at the beginning of January, and ‘mirabs” (irrigation supervisors) do this with a splendid ceremony, and not only the Fazel Khani reservoir but also the other reservoirs in Sarayan are filled with water at the same time. One more point should be noted here. The numerous water reservoirs of Sarayan city can be used as a tourist attraction and add to the prosperity of Sarayan tourism, which may need to be addressed!
Sarayan district has also other reservoir structures. An important example is the blacksmith’s reservoir, located in the town’s historical context. This structure has a staircase leading from the entrance to the pashir, the tank, and the roof of the tank. The entrance portal was destroyed due to widening of the alley, and instead, a new staircase was built perpendicular to the main staircase could be possible. It is believed to have been built during the reign of Shah Sulieman Safavid. It has a brick dome and an inscription in its pashir section.
