The Ark Fortress
 | The Ark Fortress is one of the most interesting Bukhara historic buildings. Its foundations were laid in the 4th - 3rd centuries BCE. The fortress has been, of course, several times destroyed and rebuilt. Until 1920 it had served as Bukhara rulers’ residence. The fortress stands on an artificial hill of up to 20 meters in height. The approximate area of the site is 4.2 hectares. The architects of the fortress planned to make it polygonal. According to legend, the base of the fortress had seven pillars set up as to the locations of the Great Bear brightest stars. The say the builders succeeded in constructing the walls of the fortress only when they put the base pillars in this order. |
Bukhara (also spelled Bukhoro, Buxoro, Buchara, Bokhara, Buhara) is over 2,500 years old and seems to be emanating the breath of history. According to the Iranian Encyclopedia, the name of the city came from the Sogdian for ‘lucky place’; it is also said to derive from the Sanskrit for ‘temple’. Bukhara is one of the world’s seven holy cities of Islam. It was a large religious center in the Middle Ages, with over 350 mosques and 80 madrasahs (Islamic colleges), many of which survive. All the streets in Bukhara lead to the central historic complex Lyab-i Hauz (also spelled Lyab-i Khauz, Lyabi Khauz, Lyabi Hauz), where besides magnificent architectural monuments by a hauz pond a number of cozy restaurants and teahouses are located. Among the numerous attractions in Bukhara stand out the famous Kalyan Minaret (also Minorai Kalon, Minara-i Kalan), the impressive ancient Ark Fortress, functioning medieval bathhouses and domed shopping arcades. There over 140 architectural monuments in the city!
Lyab-I Hauz Architectural Ensemble
 | Lyab-i Hauz Ensemble (also spelled Lyab-i Khauz, Lyabi Hauz, Lyabi Khauz) is probably the most popular Bukhara tourist attraction, often used as a rest stop, thanks to its grandness, tranquility and old age. Lyab-i Hauz is located in the southeast shakhristan (the part of the city within the city walls but outside the citadel) near the main Bukhara trade street. Built in the 16th - 17th centuries, Lyab-i Hauz Ensemble is still one of the major Bukhara squares. It has a large artificial pond with Nadir Divan-Beghi Madrasah, Nadir Divan-Beghi Khanaka, both built in 1622, and Kukeldash Madrasah built in 1568 on the three sides of it. Lyab-i Hauz means ‘by a pond’. |
Po-i-Kalyan Complex
 | The architectural complex Po-i-Kalyan (also Poi Kalyan) is the central Bukhara tourist attraction located in the main Registan Square. Po-i-Kalyan, ‘the foot of the great’, consists of three structures built in the 12th - 16th centuries: Kalyan Minaret, Kalyan Mosque and Mir-i Arab Madrasah. Kalyan Minaret, the symbol of the city, is the oldest of them. It is almost 9 centuries old, and it has never been restored. Built of fired bricks only, it was erected in 1127 by order of Arslan-Khan of the Karakhanids (also spelled Qarakhanids). The minaret is 46.5 meters in height; its diameter at the base is 9 meters. |
Kukeldash Madrasah
 | In Bukhara, near the famous historical complex Lyab-i Hauz, the well-known architectural monument Kukeldash Madrasah is located (built in 1568 - 1569). It is the largest Bukhara madrasah and one of the largest ones in Central Asia. It was built during the reign of Abdullah-Khan II and was funded by Bukhara governor Kulbab who ruled the city under several khans and managed to maintain good relations with all of them. For his close relationship with the khans the governor was given the title Kukeldash, which was one of the highest standings in the khan’s court and meant ‘a milk brother’. Later the madrasah was named after him. |