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City in southeastern Uzbekistan
Photo: Afghancarpetbiz, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Bukhara (in Uzbek Buxoro) is a city historically astride the Silk Road in the Samarkand through Bukhara region of Uzbekistan. It has a wealth of architecture and culture and is a must-see destination on any tour of this region. It's also easy to reach, with a relaxed national visa regime and fast transport by plane, train or highway with no plodding camels involved. With a population of 280,000 in 2020, its suburbs are modern and industrial, but its centre is an extensive, well-preserved Old Town and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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There's been a substantial Jewish community in Bukhara since the 8th century. This synagogue was built around 1640, in legend as part of the peace deal with the widow who owned the Lyab-i Hauz site. It was closed down by the Soviets in 1940. Eventually it was returned, but the Jews had emigrated to Israel and the US so it was never again in use. It's now a small museum.
The oldest surviving mosque building in Central Asia, dating back to the 800s, reconstructed in the 1500s and now a carpet museum. "Magoki" means a pit, and it was in a dip in the ground when built over a former Zoroastrian temple, and has sunk further. It's now 6 metres below ground level, and its domes barely reach the street. "Attar" means perfume as there once was a perfume market nearby. The 12th-century main facade is very impressive.
A complex similar to Lyab-i Hauz built in 1570, with a mosque, medressah and hauz. The name means "killing bulls" as the site used to be a cattle market and slaughter house. It's closed for restoration, though you can see the exterior.
Madrasah of Khalif Niyaz-kul
The name means "four minarets" and this building of 1807 was once part of a religious complex that has disappeared. Although it remains a mosque, the four towers are not minarets. One tower collapsed in 1995 but was re-constructed.
Citadel or kremlin that contained palaces, temples, barracks, offices, the mint, warehouses, workshops, stables, an arsenal; everything a ruler might want for his comfort, and for the misery of his captives. It's a heptagonal enclosure (said to be patterned on the constellation of Ursa Major) with earth brick walls up to 20 m tall. It was built and re-built for millennia, taking its present form under the Shaybhanid dynasty around 1500. You enter through the grand west gate and see the museum, throne room, royal courts and mosque. The eastern half has not been restored.
The mosque was built in 1712, with a free-standing minaret and painted wooden pillars added in 1917. In front is a small hauz.
The name means "spring of Ayub" - Job - who in legend struck the ground with his staff and out gushed a spring. Bukhara was one of several cities where he performed this feat and was subsequently buried; the oldest authenticated burial here was of Khwaja Hafiz Gunjari in 1022 AD. The entrance portal is from 1208, but the mausoleum is from 1380 in the reign of Timur, with a Khwarazm-style conical dome. The site was extended in the 15th century and has a small museum about the Sunni Islamic scholar Muhammad al-Bukhari (810-870), whose tomb is in Samarkand.
The Samanids were a Persian dynasty in power 819-945. In 892 Ismail Samani united its four petty kingdoms, broke from Abbasid influence, and moved the capital from Samarkand to Bukhara. He built this mausoleum for his father and lay here himself from 907. It's the oldest Muslim monument in Bukhara, with elements of Zoroastrian design such as the sun motif.
The name means "double madrassah", the Modari Khan and the larger Abdullah Khan, built together in 1566. They look neglected.
Built in the 16th century, with beautiful interior decorations, but you'll be lucky to find it open. Worshippers now use the modern mosque next to it.
Xoʻjayev (1896-1938) was from a wealthy Bukhara family. He sought to free his country from both hidebound clerical tradition and Czarist rule, which pleased the Soviets, and he was leader of Uzbekistan from 1924. However he opposed the heavy-handed excesses of Stalin, such as cotton monoculture, so he was purged, given a show trial and shot. He has a mixed reputation today and this museum, his father's house, depicts life of a merchant family but says little about the man.
Built from 1119, with modifications through the 16th century. It's richly decorated within.
Sayf al-Din was a 13th-century poet, sheik and mystical theologian who settled in Bukhara as a tutor. He died in 1261 and his tomb became a Sufi shrine. Bayan Qulï was a local ruler much influenced by Sayf al-Din and was buried alongside in 1358. Mausoleums were then built to both, and a large religious complex developed, in what was then the separate village of Fathabad. The rest of the complex has disappeared.
This was built 1588/9 and is still used as a mosque.
Lavish summer palace of the last emir of Bukhara, Sayyid Mir Muhammad Alim Khan. It was completed in 1918 but he was overthrown by the Soviets in 1920 and fled into exile.
Religious complex with museum and mosque, grouped around the tomb of Baha' al-Din Naqshband (1318-1389) who founded the Naqshbandi order of Sufi Sunni Islam.
Large necropolis from the 16th century; heavily restored.
Traditional bath house, mornings only for local men then after 14:00 for tourists of mixed gender.
The women's bathhouse. Most reckon it's an overpriced tourist trap.
Atmospheric restaurant but touristy prices.
Restaurant in a charming 19th century guesthouse in the old town.
Good veggie selection, but quality overall disappointing.
Shop and cafe serving spice and herbal tea, saffron and ginger tea, coffee with cardamom, green and black tea as well as sweets including halva, qandalat and nabat.
Wine shop and tastings, friendly helpful owner.
Atmospheric hotel right on Lyab-i Hauz in the former Kukeldash Madrasa, with a good restaurant.
Small friendly hotel in a 19th century Jewish merchant's house. Rooms are comfortable. Beautiful terrace
Tranquil clean hotel in a 19th century merchant house, ranged around a courtyard.
Pleasant place just west of Lyab-i Hauz, often accommodates tour groups.
Pleasant friendly central place around a courtyard.
Small hotel just east of Lyab-i Hauz, built in the early 19th century as a madrasah. Rooms are small and catering limited.
Charming place with 8 richly decorated double rooms.
Boxy efficient modern hotel 1 km south of Lyab-i Hauz. Small rooms and tiny bathrooms, air-con erratic.
Clean modern Accor chain hotel 1.5 km north of Lyab-i Hauz.
Authentic and inexpensive hotel in the heart of the city, with friendly staff.
By train
Bukhara Railway Station, sometimes shown as Bukhara 1, has four or five trains a day from Tashkent via Samarkand and Navoi. "Afrosiyob", the fastest, takes only four hours.
By bus
Bukhara Bus Station has hourly buses from Tashkent (11 hours) and Samarkand (4-5 hours). But set off early, as these do sell out.
By road
Bukhara is 560 km from Tashkent. Follow M39 southwest via Jizzah and Samarkand: this crosses a corner of Kazakhstan, which is treated as a no-man's-land with no passport checks but keep yours handy.
A swarm of small buses serves the city. They're sometimes described as marshrutkas or dolmuşes but they have fixed stops and run to a fixed timetable, though its details are known only unto Allah.
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Bukhara · International · BHK
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