Best Things To Do in Bukhara
Amulet Hotel
I wouldn’t usually start a blog with a hotel, but this is actually a great introduction to Bukhara. As you can see, this is an old building. In fact, it dates back to the 19th century. The hotel has been meticulously reconstructed and maintained to feel just like it would have hundreds of years ago, with so much rustic (even ancient) charm that it’s practically exploding with character.
Honestly, you’d think that this hotel was a destination itself or at least be an over-priced tourist trap. In reality, most of the city center is just like this building, very old and well maintained with an incredible vibe. There are many hotels like ours, and they aren’t too expensive because they’re not all that special. The entire city is like a living, breathing time capsule.
As for the quality of the hotel, it was a fantastic stay. The staff was very kind, and the charm of the building made it an amazing time. Our room was very comfortable and clean, and aside from electricity, I could have sworn I was a merchant staying at the inn 500 years ago. They also had breakfast, which we sadly had to miss due to leaving very early in the morning.
Walking in Bukhara
As we left our hotel, we entered the old city. No matter where you go, there’s always a mosque, madrasa, or marketplace around the corner. The old city is littered with ancient structures and heritage sights. There are countless areas to explore, and we constantly stumbled across new things we never planned on seeing. If you want to see every ancient site in the city, you’d certainly need a few days. I’ve never seen anywhere so dense with beautiful ancient sites.
Along the walking streets are plenty of restaurants, cafes, and souvenir stores with everything you could want. Because there are no cars on the main road, it really felt like we had stepped back in time. All the tall ancient mosques are visible over the buildings, giving a surreal feeling I’ve never experienced.
Lyabi Khauz
Our first stop was Lyabi Khauz, a central plaza in the heart of Bukhara. This is a great place to start or end a walking tour of the city, as it is at the far side of the old city. Centering the plaza is a beautiful pool with ducks, swans, and fountains in the summer. Surrounding the plaza are many restaurants, coffee shops, and souvenir stands. This area is near many hotels, making it a natural place to gather for food.
The plaza was constructed in the 16th century, serving as a great intro to this historic city. Although it was winter, the plaza was still lively and beautiful, with animals and people running about. We met a lot of locals, and they all wanted pictures; they’re not used to seeing people with dark skin like Yemisi, but they were so kind and we were happy to talk to them.
Nadir Divan Begi Madrasa
On the far side of the plaza is Nadir Divan Begi Madrasa. What is a madrasa? These are an ancient style of Islamic building with the purpose of religious education and worship. Typically, they have four large walls encompassing a large courtyard. Lining the interior are rooms facing towards the courtyard, often several stories tall. The doors to the rooms are quite short, which is said to force you to bow out of respect when entering.
The purpose of each madrasa is slightly different. Some are religious schools, much like a Christian seminary. Others are more like mosques, serving as places of worship or glorification. Madrasas are not mosques, but there are similarities in purpose and architecture. Additionally, all madrasas face Mecca like a mosque. Many also served primarily as marketplaces and city centers. In modern times, many madrasas are heritage sites. There are many of these structures to explore in Uzbekistan, and they frequently have shops or museums inside the rooms.
This madrasa is home to cultural performances in the summer months at 6:00 pm every day. Showcasing traditional clothes, instruments, as well as optional food. The show is a great introduction to Uzbekistan culture. Unfortunately the show was not running when we visited, but it is certainly one of the main attractions in this area.
Nadir Divan Begi Khanaka
Across the pool from the madrasa is Nadir Divan Begi Khanaka, a small building constructed for worship in 1620. This building was originally a residence for dervishes, a branch of mystics in Islam similar to ascetic monks. Therefore, the Khanaka is very important and enjoys special protection as a heritage site.
The view of the building across the pond is very beautiful, and it is surrounded by lovely green space. Inside is a museum with history of the building and the city. We did not enter in the museum because we knew we would be tight on time, but there is so much history to learn about these ancient structures, so we recommend you take some time to explore.
Abdulaziz Khan Madrasa
Next was another madrasa, or so we thought. Just off the main road are Abdulaziz Khan and Ulugbek Madrasa. These two buildings face each other, providing an incredible view from the street. Unfortunately, Ulugbek Madrasa was under construction during the off-season and was covered in scaffolding. We explored the interior of Abdulaziz Khan Madrasa, but the interior was much more lackluster than the exterior.
It was not all in vain, though. The view down the street from the madrasas is one of my favorite street views ever. The Kaylan Minaret and Poi Kaylan Ensemble loom over the domed roofs of the markets. I felt like I was in Aladdin, surrounded by mind-blowing central Asian architecture from many centuries ago. Yemisi and I have always assumed places like this don’t exist outside of exaggerated depictions in cartoons, but there we were.
Also, and I can’t stress this enough, the employees here were on another level. After we arrived, several cats came to greet us. They were so adorable, demanding many pets as payment for their service, which we were happy to give. One kitten took a liking to Yemisi’s dress and began playing hide and seek with another cat, adding to the already amazing time we were having.
Poi Kalyan Ensemble
Finally, we arrived at the crown jewel of Bukhara architecture. Poi Kaylan Ensemble holds the largest religious buildings in the city. Constructed nearly 900 years ago, this collection of buildings surpassed every expectation we had for Bukhara. We were a bit unsure about visiting such a remote and underexplored part of the world. In the back of our minds, we wondered if the journey would be too difficult or not worth it. Arriving at the ensemble, all of our doubts were crushed under the weight of the majesty of the architecture.
We’ve explained madrasas, but what’s an ensemble? These are plazas with a collection of mosques, madrasas, and other various religious structures. There are always at least two structures facing inward towards a large plaza. If madrasas are like town halls, a collection of them in an ensemble is like a bustling city center. Not only is it a center of life of the city, but the surrounding region as well. This ensemble consists of a madrasa, mosque, and minaret.
Kaylan Mosque
The Kaylan Mosque was constructed on the west side of the ensemble in the 15th century. Though earlier mosques existed on this site, they were destroyed by the Mongols. As we walked in, we realized this was not a normal mosque. The layout is a large open square, with adorned walls and of course, lots of beautiful tile work.
Normal mosques have a prayer room with carpet, a large dome, and places for teaching and worship. This, however, is a Friday mosque, which only holds large gatherings for the important Friday prayer. While it is still an active mosque, this means that there are many more times to come observe the historic site without bothering worshipers. The environment inside was so peaceful, and with the large minaret looming outside, we honestly felt like this was our favorite mosque we had visited in a while.
Mir-i-Arab Madrasa
On the east side of the ensemble is Mir-i-Arab Madrasa, a beautiful and formidable structure towering over the plaza. Like the mosque, the original structures were destroyed by Mongols, and this rose to take their place in the 15th century. At this point in the day, we were getting worn out from visiting so many madrasas, which was fine because this one is closed to visitors. Thankfully, it’s only closed because it’s still functioning as a religious school, meaning you can catch glimpses of students on the balconies and in the courtyard as they come and go.
Kalyan Minaret
The star of the ensemble is Kaylan Minaret. A minaret is a tower, usually at the corner of a mosque, where the calls to prayer are performed. Generally, minarets are a small feature of the larger mosque, but occasionally, they are their own structure. This minaret is truly exceptional, towering over 155m. Shaped like a candle, the Kaylan Minaret is one of the tallest in all of Asia and one of the most notable minarets in the world.
In 1220, none other than Ghengis Khan conquered Bukhara. At the time, Bukhara was no longer the capital of the region but was still a very important trading city. After 15 days, the city fell and was razed to the ground. However, he was stunned by the immense height and beauty of the minaret and ordered it to be spared while the rest of the ensemble was destroyed. At the time, it would have been one of the tallest towers in the world, so it’s not hard to see why he was impressed.
The Ark of Bukhara
Near the end of our walking tour, we came to the Ark of Bukhara. This is a massive reinforced mound that completely dominates everything around it. The word ark means citadel in Persian, which is exactly what this is. As early as the 5th century, this has been the historic center of Bukhara. At one point, this was the capital of the Samanid Empire, but it has always been the center of trade, government, and power.
The complex consists of the perimeter wall, which is over 50 ft (17m) high and encompasses about 10 acres of land. Inside the walls is a large ramp taking you up to the main level where there are two main sections, the citadel and the ruins. Over the centuries, there have been many different structures and settlements, with the Ark sometimes serving as the nation’s capital and other times a center of religion and trade. Therefore, the Ark has an assortment of plazas, halls, and ruins.
The buildings are the newest part of the Ark, which houses many different amenities. There are souvenir shops, a throne room, courtyards, and several museums. If you plan on spending a lot of time at the Ark, there is plenty to learn about and experience. We only had a short time before the sun went down, so we didn’t explore much of the museums, although you could easily spend an hour in the structures alone. It was incredible to imagine the stories and lives that have passed through these streets and courtyards. Kings, sultans, and powerful traders would have called this exact spot their home.
While the current walls and buildings in the ark are only 300-400 years old, the most ancient sites in the ruins are over 1500 years old. None of the oldest structures are still standing, however, you can still walk the old streets and see ruins of mosques, homes, and baths. This area also offers a sweeping 360-degree view of the entire city, as it is the tallest structure in the old town. Standing up here was truly breathtaking; we felt transported to another time.
As you look over the town, you can see all of the madrasas and mosques in the distance, showing how far you’ve come. That is the reason we recommend ending your walking tour here. If you’re planning on taking a tour you could easily spend 2-3 hours between all of the sites of this ancient fortress.
Bolo Hauz Mosque
The very last stop was Bolo Hauz Mosque, a rather unassuming mosque opposite the Ark. This mosque has a unique wooden pillar design and sits across a lovely reflection pool. As it was so late in the day, we weren’t able to enter, however, the exterior was more than interesting enough to justify our visit. Inside, there is a large area and a further dome that is said to be quite beautiful, although the main attraction is definitely the exterior. There is a small minaret across the pool that shimmered in the sunset as we settled down for the day and headed back to the hotel.
Chor Bakr Restaurant
For lunch we took a taxi out of the city to Chor Bakr Restaurant to try some of their famous tandoori lamb. Of course, we found the restaurant thanks to none other than Mark Wiens, who visited Uzbekistan a few years ago. This was our first full meal in the country, so we were a bit nervous how it would go, but thankfully, the staff were really kind to us. We ordered tandoori lamb, a sort of perogi dish, salad, and bread. We’re so glad we came because this was the best food we ate in Bukhara, and possibly all of Uzbekistan.
Bread is a key part of every meal in Uzbekistan, with each restaurant and region having its own style, which is identified by the pattern of sesame seeds in the center. Here, we ordered a sort of buttery, flaky pastry bread that was unbelievably delicious. The lamb melted in our mouths with an incredible smokey flavor I wasn’t expecting. Also, the word salad here means any assortment of vegetables (usually tomatoes, onions, chives, and leafy greens) with a sort of sour cream. I wasn’t expecting anything like this, and although it was simple, it was made so perfectly that it was some of the best food I’d had in years.
Labi Hovuz Restaurant
To end our day, we went back to the start at Lyabi Khauz, where there is a restaurant on the edge of the reflection pool. The ambience here was so nice, with a candle-lit dinner table and live music as we enjoyed the cool weather. During the summer months, you can eat outside as well, and there are even enclosed tables on the opposite side of the pond for privacy. I ordered laghman noodles, and Yemisi got a type of noodle soup with meatballs. The food wasn’t mind-blowing, but it was pretty good, and after a long day of walking, we were very satisfied.
Final Thoughts
When we first decided to visit Uzbekistan we had no idea what to expect. This country is so underexplored and there’s not a lot of information out there. Thankfully, we got some local recommendations and went for it. Bukhara turned out to be one of the coolest places we’ve ever been, and I highly recommend anyone who is able to visit Uzbekistan as soon as possible.
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