Bukhara, Uzbekistan

Bukhara, or Buxoro in Uzbek, was founded around the 6th century BC and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in Central Asia.  It's 240 km (149 miles) from Samarkand.  With a population of 272.000 people it is the 5th largest city in Uzbekistan.  

The city is located along the Silk Road and it was once a major intellectual centre in the Islamic world.  Bukhara is filled with architectural sights and the historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

I never knew that there once was a Bukhara People's Soviet Republic.  It only existed from 1920 - 1925 and it then became part of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic.

The Ark is the massive fortress.  The true age isn't known but the military structure was in use around the 5th Century AD.  It remained in use as a fortress until it fell Imperial Russia in 1920.  Today it holds a few museums, a mosque, and stables.

The Kalyan Mosque was completed in 1514.  It can accommodate 12.000 people.  It's beautiful during the day but gorgeous at night when it is lit up.

The Kalyan Minaret was built in 1127.  It is made of bricks at is 45,6 meters (150 feet) tall and 9 meters (30 feet) wide at the base.  As a minaret it is used to call people to prayer.  During war times it was used as a watchtower.  It was also known as the Tower of Death because criminals were executed by being thrown from the top.  Apparently Genghis Khan was so impressed by the tower that it was spared when his men destroyed the city.

The Mir-i-Arab Madrassah was completed in 1535-1536.  It is still a functioning madrassah where future imams and religious leaders train.  At night it looks like something from "Alladin."

Mir-i-Arab Madrassah at night.

Collectively, the Kalyan Mosque, the minaret, the madrassah, and another small madrassah, make up the Poi-Kalyan complex. 

The Abdullazizkhan Madrasah was built in 1651-1652.

The Memorial Complex of Imam Al Bukhari is a small museum that opened in 2001.  It is shaped as a partially opened book.

The Chashma-Ayub mausoleum is on top of the the spot where it is believed that the prophet Job struck the ground with a stick and fresh water came forth.

The Carpet Weaving Museum opened in 1991.

The Sarrafon Bathhouse was built in the 16th century.  I'm not sure if it is still a functioning Hammam.

The Magoni-Attori Mosque was rebuilt in the 12th century.

The Bukhara Synagogue is one of only two remaining synagogues in the city.  Back in the 1920s, over 10% of the city's population was Jewish and there were 13 synagogues.

The Lyab-i Hauz complex sits around one of the city's last remaining ponds as they were all filled in during the Soviet era.  It's a great place to grab a tea and write postcards. 

The statue of Nasruddin Hodja is the central character of many Central Asian children's folk stories.

The Kukeldash Madrasah was completed in 1569 and it is the largest in the city.

The Samanid Mausoleum was built in the 10th century.

The Museum of Fine Art building was built in 1912.  The museum has been here since 1982.

Zindan is the 18th century dungeon.

The prison's 4th cell was the most notorious and it was known as the "bug pit" which was reserved for the least favourite prisoners.

The trading domes are filled with souvenir shops.   

The observation tower was originally a water tower built in 1920.  The observation deck on top provides views of the entire city.

At night it's all lit up.

In the centre are the remains of ancient caravans and bathhouses.

Chor Minor, also known as the Madrassah of Khalif Niyaz, was completed in 1807.  It was a gatehouse for a madrasa that has long since been destroyed.

The Emir's Palace was completed in 1898.  During Soviet times it was used as the Palace of Culture of the Railway Workers.  It is not used today and is in desperate need of renovation.

Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Samarkand, or Samarqand in Uzbek,  is in southeastern Uzbekistan.  It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in Central Asia.  It's 240 km (149 miles) from Bukhara and 344 km (214 miles) from Tashkent.  It's only about 35 km (22 miles) to the Tajik border.

It is believed that the city was founded between the 8th and 7th centuries with evidence of human activity from the late Palaeolithic Era.  With about 520.000 residents, and 950.000 in the greater metro area, Samarkand is one of the biggest cities in the country.

Samarkand was conquered by Alexander the Great in 329 BC.  It was then ruled by numerous Iranian and Turkic rulers until Genghis Khan and the Mongols conquered it in 1220.  In 1868 the city was annexed by the Russian Empire.  From 1925 to 1930 it was the capital of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic before the capital was moved to Tashkent.

Due to its position on the Silk Route the city has been a crossroads of cultures and in 2001 Samarkand was listed as a World Heritage Site.

Registan was the heart of the old city.  The architecture of the public square and its three madrasahs is simply stunning.  Especially at night.  

The Amir Temur Mausoleum was completed in 1404.  Inscribed in the tomb is a warning that reads "Whosoever disturbs my tomb will unleash an invader more terrible than I."  The tomb was opened in 1941, two days before Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union.  The story goes that Stalin believed the curse and ordered that Amir Temur be reburied.

The Ulugh Beg Observatory was built in the 1420s.  It was destroyed in 1449 and rediscovered in 1908.  It's said to have been one of the finest observatories in the Islamic world.  It became a museum in 1970.  

Islom Karimov was President of the Uzbek SSR in 1990 until he declared independence in 1991.  He then became the first President and remained so until his death in 2016.  Another former Soviet leader that remained in power for more than 25 years.

I believe that the Memorial Complex of the First President of the Republic of Uzbekistan opened in 2018.

The Shah-i-Zinda is a complex of mausoleums and other ritual buildings.  There are more than twenty buildings dating from the 11th to 19th centuries.  

Legend has it that a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad is buried here.  The complex is enormous and you could spend half a day here checking everything out and taking photos.

The Bibi-Khanym Mosque was completed in 1404.  During the 15th century it was one of the world's largest mosques.

Across from the mosque is the Bibi-Khanym mausoleum.  The 14th century mausoleum is home to five tombs.

The Gumbaz Synagogue was built in 1891.  This is a working temple for the city's approximate 50 Jews.

During the day I came across Orthodox, Muslim, and Jewish cemeteries.

The Slyob Bazaar is the city's largest bazaar.  Quite popular with both locals and tourists.

Sadreddin Ayni was the father of modern Uzbek and Tajik literature.  His homes turned in to a museum in 1967.  I'd never heard of him before the museum was interesting.

Afrasiab Museum of Samarkand is one of the largest archaeological sites in the world.

The Mausoleum of Saint Daniel, the prophet from the Old Testament, is visited by Jews, Christians, and Muslims.  

He rests in an 18 metre (59 foot) sarcophagus.  Legend has it that it is because his remains continue to grow.  The more likely version is that this made it harder for grave robbers to disturb his remains.