Bukhara

Bukhara is the holiest city of Central Asia. The traditional saying says “If Samarkand is the beauty of the earth, Bukhara is the beauty of the spirit”. After Samarkand Bukhara is the most famous city in Uzbekistan. It is an ocean of historical monuments dating back to the Middle Ages.

The name of the town comes from “vihara” which means monastery in Sanskrit. The name also has variations like Bukhoro, Buchara or Bokhara.

Situated on the Silk Road the historic centre of Bukhara is more than 2000 years old. It is a complete example of a medieval Islamic city of Central Asia. It was the capital of the famous Samanid dynasty in 9th-10th centuries.  The best part about this ancient city is that many important monuments survived till now. That’s why Bukhara is known as a “town museum” with its 140 architectural monuments.

The historic centre of Bukhara is a UNESCO World Heritage site from 1993. The important buildings of the town include Ismail Samani Mausoleum (9th-10th centuries), Poi-Kalyan Minaret (1127), Magoki-Attori Mosque, Chashma-Ayub mausoleum, The Ulugh-Beg, Abdulaziz-khan and Kukeldash madrasahs, Lyabi-Hauz Ensemble, Ark fortress, etc.