Monumental Bukhara: Masjids, madrassahs, mausoleums and more

The legend of the origin of Bukhara appears in the Shahnameh (or the Epic of the Persian Kings) by Firdausi.

When King Siyavush of the Pishdak dynasty wed Farangis, the daughter of King Afrosiab of Samarqand, he was gifted a vassal kingdom in the Bukhara region by his father-in-law. Siyavush, who had always liked this region for its many rivers and its location on the ancient trade route, built a new city there — Bukhara. The first structure that he built was the Ark or Arg (the Persian word for ‘citadel).

Today, Siyavush’s Ark is long gone and another one stands in its place. Also known as the Ark, it is no coincidence that this 16th century Ark too continues to be at the heart of Bukhara, both historical and modern. And that’s why I begin this post with the Ark, for both the legend and the history of Bukhara is inextricably linked to it or the people who governed from there.

The exact date of the first Ark on this site is not known, but archaeologists believe that it should have been built between 500-600 CE. Based on excavations, they also believe that many Arks were built on this site and destroyed, only to be rebuilt again. In the centuries since the first Ark was built, it has functioned as a royal enclosure, along with space for administrative offices, guardrooms, places of worship, harem, the mint, treasury, prisons, slave quarters, and so on.

#MyDreamTripUzbekistan, Bukhara, Travel, Uzbekistan, Central Asia, Heritage , UNESCO World Heritage Site — Entrance to the Ark is through the gate built by Nadir Shah in 1742

The Ark has been witness to and faced the brunt of invasions from the Arabs in the 8th century to the Genghis Khan in 1220 to the Russians in 1920. A fire destroyed about 80% of the buildings inside the Ark at that time. A massive restoration project was undertaken a couple of decades ago in an attempt to restore the Ark to its former glory.

Today, many of the buildings inside the Ark function as museums to different facets of the city’s past.

A visitor to Bukhara usually begins exploring the city from the Ark. While the Ark was not the first monument I visited in Bukhara, it was where I heard the story of Bukhara from my excellent guide Shakhnoza.

It is not clear where the name Bukhara is derived from, though some historians believe that it is comes from the word “Vihara”, a term used to denote a Buddhist monastery. Some other historians put forth the view that it is derived from ancient city of Varaksha, the ruins of which are located near present day Bukhara. Both names are possible sources, for the pre-Islamic Bukhara was home to Buddhists, Zoroastrians and Christians.

Located very strategically on the Silk Route, Bukhara had been a centre of trade and culture for centuries. When the Arab invaders arrived in the 8th century CE, they found a well- established city. Introducing Islam was not easy and it took the Arabs over a century to establish the new religion in Bukhara. The fire temple in the Ark was destroyed by the Arabs, and the city’s first mosque constructed over it.

Bukhara soon became an intellectual centre of Islam. During the rule of the Samanids in the 9th and 10th centuries CE — often considered by historians and modern scholars as the golden age of the city — Bukhara was a populous city, and perhaps the largest in Central Asia. Many scholars made Bukhara their home as they found its cultural environment conducive to their growth. The city was also a centre of Sufism, most notably the Naqshbandi order; the many Khanakas or rest houses for the sufi mystics in Bukhara are testimony to this fact.

Bukhara’s importance as a cultural and religious centre rivaled that of Baghdad, and scholars often referred to the city as the Eastern Dome of learning. It is believed that the revival of the Persian language to rival that of Arabic began and was sustained in Bukhara. This was to end with the end of the Samanid Empire.

Bukhara was ruled by many dynasties after the Samanids — the Karakhanids, followed by the Khorezem Shahs, the Chaghatay Khanate, the Timurid Empire, and lastly by the Shaybanids, who united all the Uzbek clans. The Shyabanids heralded in Bukhara’s second spring, but as a regional religious centre. At the end of the 17th century, Bukhara was home to some 200 madrassahs and 300 mosques within city limits!

At the same time, trade via the Silk Route (and Bukhara) was declining, due to increase in maritime trade all over the world. The city’s fortunes started declining. In 1868, the Russians entered Bukhara by gaining trading concessions and thereon the Bukharan emirate became a Russian protectorate. The Bolshevik Revolution in Russia ended the reign of the Emirate in 1920 and Bukhara was incorporated into the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic in 1924.

Today, Bukhara may be Uzbekistan’s fifth-largest city, but perhaps has the maximum number of monuments — around 140 mosques, madrassahs, mausoleums, markets, and more. UNESCO listed the historic centre of Bukhara, which contains numerous mosques and madrassahs, as one of the World Heritage Sites in 1993, the second site in the country.

I barely made a dent at that number in the two days I was there. While I explored the monuments with Shakhnoza, I also wandered around on my own. The first day was a sensory overload of blue domes, tiles, exquisite brick work, architectural styles, stories, legends, coups, battles, despots, excesses…

So I went back in the evening on my own to look at the monuments again and also to photograph them in better light. It turned out to be a good idea, for I was able to understand the details, the context and also make connections. The second day was overwhelming too, but in a nicer way, for by then I had completely fallen in love with Bukhara.

Presenting the monuments of Bukhara. I have divided them into sets of Masjids, Madrassahs, Mausoleums, and others. Clicking on any of the photographs in each set will enlarge it. You can then use the left or right arrow keys to navigate through that set of photographs and their accompanying captions.

MASJIDS

Bolo Hauz Complex. This is where the Emir of Bukhara would come for his Friday prayers. Though the masjid/mosque building was built in 1712, the ornamental ceiling and wooden pillars weren’t added till the early 1900s. A small minaret, which you can see at the extreme left in the photo, was built in 1917.

Each wooden pillar is made from two tree trunks and the joint is so skillful that I could not even figure it out.

The decorative ceiling of the masjid at the Bolo Hauz Complex. Note the decorative squinches or muqarnas on top of the pillars.

The entrance archway to the Kalyon Mosque, the Friday mosque of Bukhara. Archaeological excavations have revealed the presence of earlier constructions; this monument was built in the late 15th century. Note the Kalyon Minar peeping into the frame !

Detail of tile work from the entrance to the Kalyon mosque

The Kalyon Mosque covers a 1 hectare area and can accommodate 10,000 worshipers. The blue dome seen in the picture is that of the Mir Arab Madrassah located across the mosque.

Evening light at the Kalyon Mosque. The shadow of the mosque’s dome falls on the entrance arch. In the background, the Kalyon Minar rises tall.

The Kalyon Minar is almost 47 m in height and is, perhaps, Bukhara’s best recognised landmark. Built entirely from mud bricks, it has 12 decorative belts that include geometric patterns and some exquisite calligraphy. It is believed to be about a 1,000 years old.

Maghoki Attari Mosque has a very interesting history. It is believed that there was a Buddhist Temple at this site, which was replaced by a Zoroastrian Fire Temple, which, in turn, was destroyed by the Arabs, who then built this mosque built in its place.

Till the 16th century, the Maghoki Attari Mosque was used both as a mosque and as a synagogue. The unusual brick pattern at the entrance reminded me of the Holy Torah scroll kept in synagogues.

The “women’s only” mosque at the Badruddin Naqshbandi Complex near Bukhara. The city also has women mullahs who officiate during wedding and deathe ceremonies.

MADRASSAHS

Mir Arab Madrassah. Built in the 16th century, this is at once a simple and ornate building. It was one of the most important madrassahs of its time, and continues to function as one even today. Visitors can only see this monument from the outside.

The twin blue domes of the Mir Arab Madrassah as viewed from the front entrance of the Kalyon Mosque.

The elaborate and colourful entrance to the Abdul Aziz Khan Madrassah. This was built in 1652 based on Persian design and aesthetics. The Museum of Wood Carving Art is located here.

The Abdul Aziz Khan Madrassah is probably the only monument which has not been over renovated. While basic repairs have been carried out, the original design features have not been obliterated or reproduced. Much of the interiors remain original like this painted portion inside the madrassah.

The Ulugh Beg Madrassah faces the Abdul Aziz Khan Madrassah. It is one of the three madrassahs built by the great astronomer, mathematician and Timurid Emperor, Ulugh Beg in 1417.

Gaps can be seen where where the original tile work has fallen off at the Ulugh Beg Madrassah

Note the star shaped patterns and tiles at the Ulugh Beg Madrassah. These reflect the sensibilities of its astronomer patron

The Chor Minar (or Four Minaret) Madrassah. The road in front of the monument is part of the original trade route

Built in 1807, the Chor Minar madrassah was never completed, which perhaps explains its rather strange design. The tilework and design of each minaret is different making it a rather unique monument in Bukhara

The Nadir Diwan Begi Madrassah was originally built as a caravan serai in the early 17th century CE. It was converted into a madrassah and a grand front entrance added. The entrance to the madrassah is one of the grandest that I saw. For details, look at the header of this post.

MAUSOLEUMS

Samanid Mausoleum. Built between the 9th and 10 centuries CE, the founder of the Samanid dynasty, Ismail, his father and his grandson, Nasr ibn Ahmed are buried here

At first glance, the mausoleum looks pretty ordinary and basic — a cube topped by a dome. It is only when you start coming closer that you realise what a masterpiece of brick architecture this is.

All decorative elements have been created by creatively laying bricks while building the monument. Just look at the patterns created !

The conical dome of the Chashma-i-Ayub Mausoleum sure does catch the visitor’s eye for it is so unusual. Built in the early parts of the 13th century, there is an interesting legend attached to the mausoleum. There was a drought in the region and when the people of Bukhara were despairing of ever getting water, Prophet Job (or Ayub) appeared and struck the ground with his staff from where water burst forth. A well was built over the source and even today, people come to have the holy water

The Mausoleum of Badruddin Naqshbandi, the founder of the Naqshbandi order of Sufism is located just outside Bukhara city limits. It is a place of pilgrimage for the local people and many walk to the Mausoleum from their homes. The governors of the Shaybanid dynasty are also buried in the complex in a separate enclosure

The courtyard at Naqshbandi’s Mausoleum. The little domed structure with the blue topped minarets is a sacrificial altar, where pilgrims sacrifice sheep on Eid.

Badruddin Naqshbandi is entombed in the rectangular enclosure

The entrance to the Chor Bakr Necropolis, which has graves that go back to more than a 1,000 years.

The earliest people to be buried here were the sufi dervishes.

A view of the many mausoleums at the Chor Bakr Necropolis

Chor Bakr translates to four brothers. The two tombs that you see here contain the remains of descendents of the Prophet Mohammad. The unusual hexagonal tilework alone made the trek through the rather creepy and empty necropolis in the hot sun worth it.

MORE…: Khanaka, Palace and Market Dome

The Nadir Divan Begi Khanaka was a rest house for the sufi dervishes and was just one of the many that existed in Bukhara

The religious clergy of Bukhara were disapproving of Said Alim Khan (r.1911-1920), the Bukhara Emir’s, excesses and lavish lifestyles. To escape their censorious gaze, the Emir constructed a summer palace outside Bukhara city limits – the Sitorai Mohi-Hosa Palace. It is a bizarre mix of Russian architecture and Bukharan sensibilities.

The formal White Room at the Sitorai Mohi-Hosa Palace

As a centre of trade, Bukhara had, and continues to have, many markets. A dome like this is a common sight across the historic part of Bukhara

Bukhara was the third city I visited during my road trip through Uzbekistan in September 2015. Prior to my visit, my acquaintance with Bukhara was rather shadowy and vague. I recall that the first time I came across Bukhara was in my school (perhaps 6th or 7th standard) history textbook, though I can’t recall the details or the context now. The second time was when I read an article on a much celebrated restaurant named Bukhara in Delhi. And the third was the name for the Indian plum in Hindi, rather bewilderingly (for me at least), called Aloo Bukhara. My visit to the “real” Bukhara dispelled the shadowy and vague association I had with the name.

As I mentioned in the previous post, I came with absolutely no idea or expectations of the city or experience. Maybe it was a good thing for Bukhara turned out to be the surprise of the trip. I may have barely made a dent at understanding the deep and layered history of this ancient city, but its vibes and its atmosphere could certainly be felt.

I came away enthused, enriched and energised from Bukhara. I came away happy, content and at peace too. Bukhara was that kind of a place. 🙂