Bukhara is a city-museum, with about 140 architectural monuments The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time. Located on the Silk Road, the city has long been a center of trade, scholarship, culture, and religion. During the golden age of the Samanids,Bukhara became the intellectual center of the Islamic world and is widely regarded as Central Asia’s holiest city.
The ruins of the Ark Fortress. Dating back to the 5th century AD, was the ancient heart of the city until it fell to Russia in 1920. Religious sites include: Bolo Hauz Mosque (1718) also known as the Forty Pillar Mosque was where the Emir would stride out of a Friday from his residence in the nearby Registan for the noon prayers. Its slender, elegantly carved wooden pillars hold up a beautifully restored painted coffered ceiling. The Ismail Samani mausoleum (9th century) is the tomb of Ismail Samani - the founder of the Samanid dynasty, the last Persian dynasty to rule in Central Asia. Chashma-Ayub is near the Samani mausoleum. Its Persian name means Job's spring due to the legend Job (Ayub) brought forth a spring of water by the blow of his staff on the ground. The building was constructed during the reign of Timur and features a Khwarazm-style conical dome uncommon in Bukhara. The Poikalon complex comprises the Kalon Minaret, Kalon Mosque and Mir-i-Arab Medressa (1535), ascribed to Sheikh Abdullah Yamani of Yemen - called Mir-i-Arab - the spiritual mentor of Ubaidullah-khan and his son Abdul-Aziz-khan. The Kosh Madrassah ensemble of two madrassahs, Madrassah of Ulughbek and Madrassah of Abdul Aziz Khan (1652), faced each other for many centuries and represent the two dynasties that once ruled Bukhara - Timurid and Ashtarkhanids. Char Minor (Chor-Minor) was built for Khalif Niyaz-kul, rich inhabitant of Bukhara, a Turkmen by origin. Each of four towers (minarets) have different shapes. Some say that elements of the decorations reflect the four world religions with elements of the cross, Christian fish and Buddhist praying-wheel. The former Magoki Attori (Maghoki-Attar) mosque was constructed in the ninth century on the remains of an older Zoroastrian temple and is reputed to be the oldest mosque in central Asia.
The twilight hours lend themselves to wandering the areas around the Lyabi-Hauz Pool, a central gathering place where you can enjoy a traditional ‘chaikhana’ (tea-house) style dinner. The 16th century Lab-i Hauz ensemble, surrounds the pool on three sides: Kukeldash Madrasah (1568–1569), the largest in the city (north side) and the two religious edifices built by Nadir Divan-Beghi: a khanaka (1620) - lodging-house for itinerant Sufis, and a madrasah. The Nadir Divan-begi madrasah is decorated in the style typical of Central Asia however the images of birds, animals, human being and the Sun are uncharacteristic for Islamic monuments. There is also an interesting metal sculpture of Nasruddin Hodja, the quick-witted and warm-hearted man, who forms the central character of many children's folk stories in the Central Asian and Indian subcontinent, sitting atop his mule with one hand on his heart and the other with an 'All OK' sign above his head.
The Emir’s Summer Palace in Bukhara is a charming, nauseating collection of dwellings, state rooms, a wooden pavilion, and pond built by the Russians in 1911 for the last Emir Alim Khan. Nowadays, the Pavilion houses an embroidery collection includes suzani, wall decoration panel, joinamoz, praying rugs, takiyapush, pillow-cases, and chimiliq whilst the gardens are popular for newly weds.
All manner of things can be found on sale in the covered bazaars. There are three of these trading domed bazaars left and wandering through these in search of bargains experiences the spirit of trade, which has driven this region since the halcyon days of the Silk Road era.