“A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it…” – George Moore
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| (Islam Koja Minaret) |
Day 07: 17 August 2017 (Thursday)
Route: Bukhara – Samarkand
Distance: 279 km
Hotel: Samarkand Diyora Hotel, Uzbekistan
After breakfast we had a tour of the city of Bukhara.
The Historic Centre of Bukhara, situated on the Silk Roads, is more than two thousand years old. It is one of the best examples of well-preserved Islamic cities of Central Asia, with an urban townscape that has remained largely intact.
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| (The facade of Bolo Haouz Mosque) |
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| (A beautiful historical mosque in Bukhara) |
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| (Reflections of the exterior columns) |
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| (The minaret of Bolo Haouz Mosque) |
Bolo Haouz Mosque is a historical mosque opposite side of the citadel of Ark. It is inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list along with the other parts of the historic city. It served as a Friday mosque. Twenty thin columns made of painted woods were added to the frontal part of the iwan entrance, additionally supporting the bulged roof of summer prayer room. The columns are decorated with colored muqarnas. The wooden columns rest on concrete foundation.
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| (The main prayer hall of Bolo Haouz Mosque) |
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| (Intricately decorated Iwan of the mosque) |
The Ark Fotress of Bukhara is a massive fortress was a military structure, used as a fortress until it fell to Russia in 1920. In the center of the Ark is located a large complex of buildings, one of the best preserved being the mosque of Ul'dukhtaron, which is connected to legends of forty girls tortured and cast into a well. Currently, the Ark is a tourist attraction and houses museums covering its history.
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| (A massive 5th century fortress) |
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| (The residence of Bukhara Khans) |
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| (Visiting the many rooms and halls in the fortress) |
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| (The rooftop of the Ark Fortress) |
Poi-Kalyan Ensemble in Bukhara center, situated on the way to trade crossing of four bazars. The ensemble consists of 4 monuments, Kalyan mosque and Miri-Arab Madrasah, Kalyan minaret and a small Amir-Allimkhan Madrasah. The Kalyan Tower is the highest brick minaret in the world.
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| (Kalyan Grand Minaret) |
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| (The Kalyan Mosque) |
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| (The couryard leading to the prayer hall) |
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| (Intricate tile-work of Mir-i-Arab Madrasah) |
Lyabi-Khauz Ensemble is formed with three large monumental buildings: Kukeldash Madrasah, khanaka and Nodir Divan-begi. The square was closed with Trade Street. The center of old Bukhara large ensemble became a reservoir.
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| (Nadir Divanbegi Madrasah) |
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| (Relaxing at the Lyabi Hauz pond) |
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| (The pond surrounding three historical buildings) |
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| (Camels Caravan along the pond) |
Monument of Hodja Nasreddin, a.k.a Abu Nawas was a Seljuq satirical Sufi, believed to have lived and died during the 13th century in Akshehir, near Konya, a capital of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum, in Turkey. He is considered a populist philosopher and wise man, remembered for his funny stories and anecdotes. He appears in thousands of stories, sometimes witty, sometimes wise, but often, too, a fool or the butt of a joke. A Nasreddin story usually has a subtle humour and a pedagogic nature.
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| (A Seljuk Satirical Sufi) |
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| (My favorite Court Jester, Abu Nawas) |
We passed by several other historical buildings such as the Toki Trade Domes, Ulug Beg and Abdul Aziz Khan Madrassah, Chasma Ayub and Magoki Attori.
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| (Magok-i Attari Mosque) |
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| (Bakharuddin Nakshbandi Complex) |
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| (The Dome Bazaar of Bukhara) |
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| (The bazaar under the domes) |
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| (Local tapestries and souvenirs) |
Lunch was at Old Bukhara Restaurant and later we performed our prayers in Bolo Haouz mosque before we traveled 279 km to Samarkand where we visited one of the major places of pilgrimage in Uzbekistan, the complex of Imam Al-Bukhari.
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| (Old Bukhara Restaurant) |
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| (A large portion of Bukhara pilaf) |
Iman Al-Bukhari Complex is located 12 km from Samarkand. Imam Al- Bukhari or Abū ‘Abd Allāh Muḥammad ibn Ismā‘īl ibn Ibrāhīm ibn al-Mughīrah ibn Bardizbah al-Ju‘fī al-Bukhārī was the great theologian of the East. Since childhood he collected and wrote down stories, many of which were made to Shariat. His book “Al-Zhomi as Sahih” includes historical, juridical, biographical, medical, ethical and other sections.
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| (Iman Al-Bukhari Complex) |
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| (The courtyard of the complex) |
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| (The marble tomb for display) |
The interior of the mausoleum of Iman al-Bukhari is decorated with marble and granite that is covered with 17 metre dome. In the centre of the mausoleum is a tombstone – sagana of light – blue onyx. Carved wooden door leads to the lower room of the tomb, to dakhma – a place of worship. Memorial complex Imam Al-Bukhari is so honoured by Muslims and some believe that their visit of this holy place equates to a small haj.
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| (Iman al-Bukhari was buried under the dome) |
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| (Malaysian visiting the actual grave of Iman al-Bukhari) |
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| (The Uzbekistan elderlies vising the imam's tomb) |
Dinner was at Adras Theatre Restaurant. We stayed overnight at Samarkand Diyora Hotel, Uzbekistan.
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