These Ancient Windmills Were Built Over 1,000 Years Ago

When you think of windmills, the Netherlands might first come to mind. But some of the oldest windmills in the world are in Nashtifan, Iran. Dozens stand atop a wall in the windy city, not far from the Afghanistan border. From a distance, they look like wooden turnstiles. But they are vertical-axis windmills constructed over 1,000 years ago from wood, straw and clay. For centuries, they were used to mill flour. In 2002, the windmills of Nashtifan were declared a national heritage site by Iran.