One of my own favorite apps has become Pendar-e Nik
This app idea first came to me during a visit to the Fire Temple of Yazd. Years later, technologies like Vision Pro and augmented reality (AR) finally made it possible to bring that vision to life. While the app is also available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, my personal inspiration was simple: to be able to return to that place whenever I wanted, to walk through it, reflect, meditate, and experience its atmosphere again.
Yazd, a UNESCO World Heritage city, is a remarkable testament to our shared human heritage. Its architecture, culture, and history offer a glimpse into the traditions, beliefs, and values that have shaped civilizations over centuries. It is a place that encourages reflection and helps us better understand the enduring connections between people, culture, and time. That is also why I chose to make this app completely free—forever.
You can read more about the app here.
My hope is that anyone, anywhere in the world, can visit, explore, reflect, and enjoy this extraordinary place, regardless of where they live or what device they use.
One of the most remarkable aspects of the Fire Temple of Yazd is that the sacred fire is older than the building itself. The temple’s fire has been continuously burning since around 470 AD, preserved and cared for across generations for more than 1,500 years. It stands as a powerful symbol of continuity, resilience, and humanity’s enduring ability to preserve its heritage, values, and traditions across the centuries.
The fire is kept behind a glass enclosure to protect it. In this photo, you can see my reflection in the glass as I captured the image!
Vision Pro
The visionOS app was my second AR project, following a simpler app called Theseus — Plank by Plank. While it isn’t fully interactive, it offers an immersive way to experience and explore the environment firsthand.
The cat you see is my cat, Pirooz!
You can walk through the courtyard and into the sanctum, where you can view the sacred fire.
Leave a Reply