Bukhara Old City

Overview

One of the most important cities on the Silk Road, Bukhara keeps more than a hundred protected buildings within its old walls. The 47-metre Kalyan Minaret is said to have impressed Genghis Khan enough that he spared it; the Poi Kalyan mosque, the Mir-i-Arab Madrasa and the Ark Fortress stand together. The lanes are still lived in, with craft workshops and teahouses throughout.

History

Founded around the 1st century BC, it served as the Samanid capital and a centre of Islamic learning, was sacked by the Mongols in 1220 and rebuilt, and was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1993.

Highlights

• •The Kalyan Minaret and mosque
• •The Ark Fortress
• •The Poi Kalyan ensemble
• •Craft workshops in the old lanes

Practical tips

• •The old city is best explored on foot — stay in a guesthouse inside the walls
• •The minaret cannot be climbed; the surrounding terraces give the best views

Practical information

Best time

April-May, September-October

Tickets

The old city is free; individual sites charge entry

Opening hours

Old city open all day; sites roughly 9:00-17:00

Local food

Plov, baked samsa, non bread

Getting around

About four hours by high-speed train from Tashkent, or fly to Bukhara airport.

Visa

Visa-free for stays up to 30 days with a valid passport.

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