Bukhara is one of the oldest cities of Uzbekistan with a thousand years of history. Bukhara is a holy city of Muslim world. There are many mosques, shrines, madrasahs, with the latest one among them dating back to the XIX century, preserved there.
The historic center of Bukhara has been listed by UNESCO as one of the World Heritage Sites. You will need at least two days to do Bukhara main architectural sights.
It is also known as a “town museum” with over 140 architectural monuments dating back to the Middle Ages.
The Memorial Complex of Khoja Bakhouddin Naqshbandi is one of the most important Muslim shrines. Every self-respecting Muslim knows and reveres this name. The great theologian of the XIV century, founder of the Sufi Order “Naqshbandia” was buried 12 km from Bukhara in his native village of Kasri Orifon. Some time ago there was the pagan temple of the site of current tomb of Naqshbandi.
There are seven sacred Sufies in Bukhara. As a rule the tour starts from the grave of Sheikh Abdul-Khaliq Abd Al Gijduvani, who founded School of the Central Asian Sufism. He always took a view that every imam must have his own job. There is Ulugbek madrasah near the new mosque, where pilgrims can pray.
There are two big blue domes of the Miri-Arab madrasah towering above the surrounding buildings in the center of Bukhara. Along with the Kalyan mosque and minaret, this religious educational establishment forms the whole ensemble Poi-Kalyan that is the spiritual center of the city.
The Bukhara symbol is the 47-m high Kalyan minaret, built under the Karakhanids in the XII century. At that time it was the highest minaret in Central Asia, which as a light house, showed the way to Bukhara to trade caravans and pilgrims.
You must visit the Ark fortress – a citadel which was a residence of local rulers for several centuries.
The Samanid Mausoleum – Bukhara oldest monument erected early in the century, features elaborated beauty of décor and orderliness of proportions. Not far from it there is another Bukhara sight – Chashma-Ayub with a holy spring, which according to a legend was formed by strike of Saint Job’s staff.
Shah Jahan who built one of the largest mosques in Delhi Jama Masjid invited the Imam from Bukhara. To date, the main imam of this Mosque in Delhi is the twelfth stream of the first imam.
One of them is the Chashma-Ayub well, translated as Saint Job’s Source. A legend has it that the Bible prophet Job, having visited this land, decided to help the people who suffered from water shortage in the desert. He struck the ground with his stick, making a source of crystal clear water sprang at that place.
The people believe that the water from the source possesses healing power. A mausoleum is erected over the source. It is shaped in a form of an oblong prism. The building is crowned with domes, different in form. Over the main building with the source there is a special double dome with a conical “cap”.
Besides that popular monuments and sights of Bukhara – Khoja-Gaukushon, Lyabi-Hauz, Nadir Divan-begi madrasah, Samanids mausoleum, Abdullaziz-khan madrasah, Miri-Arab madrasah, Magoki-Attori mosque, Ulugbek Madrassah, Chor-Minor Madrassah, Bolo Hauz, Ismail Samani Mausoleum.