Bukhara, Uzbekistan: The Ultimate Visitor’s Guide

About Bukhara 

Bukhara is an ancient city which strikes the visitors by its beautiful architecture and relaxed atmosphere. As soon as you make your way to the Old Town, the fairy-tale will begin. You won’t know where you found yourself – in Uzbekistan or may be somewhere in the Middle East.

When I first visited Bukhara, I need to pinch myself multiple times. The Islamic architecture in front of my eyes was so incredibly impressive that I couldn’t believe it was even real. How did people manage to construct such beauty so many years ago?

The illuminated Poi Kalyan Square with its incredible Kalyan mosque and infinitely high Kalyan minaret under the night sky… The gorgeous Lyabi Hauz ensemble reflecting in the still water of the reservoir… The impressive Mir-i Arab Madrasa… The colorful souvenir stalls at the lively Bukhara market… All of these views will be staying in my memory for many months and years to come.

A big advantage is that the part of the old town where a lot of historical landmarks are located is closed for traffic. This means that you can do a lot of sightseeing without the need to cross the street etc. All you need to do is walk around and soak in the energy which streams from all the monuments.

When my 8-year old daughter Elizabeth visited the old town of Bukhara, her first impression was: this reminds me of Magic Kingdom in Disney World! I thought for a second if this made sense, and then agreed. Of course, this is a Magic Kingdom. But it’s a real one, not a made up one. I’m so delighted that Elizabeth got a chance to experience not only the thrill of Disney’s fairy-tale land but also the beauty of a real kingdom where people actually lived many years ago.

Where to stay in Bukhara?

When you visit Bukhara, I recommend staying at one of the hotels right in the heart of the old town.

Staying in the old town will allow you to go in and out whenever you want. For example, monuments are lit up at night, and this is a truly beautiful sight. You want to see them during the day, but you don’t want to miss them at night either.

Bukhara is very safe. Probably even more so than Tashkent. You can walk around at night and there should be no issues. 

There are different hotel options available, both cheaper and more expensive versions.

Among the high-end hotels are Hotel Asia Bukhara and Hotel Malika. Some of the mid-range options include Hotel Caravan and Kabir Hotel. We stayed at the boutique hotel, Imperial Palace, and found it very nice and comfortable, perfect for spending a night. Given that you will be spending most of the time walking around admiring the landmarks, paying for the most expensive hotel is probably not needed.

For how many days should you stay in Bukhara?

Two days (and one night) should generally be enough to see Bukhara and its main landmarks.

I don’t think one day would be sufficient as you’d have a lot of ground to cover. Plus, some interesting things to see are a bit outside the city. In addition, it’s a special experience staying at a lovely hotel in the old city and walking through the town at night.

How do you get to Bukhara from Tashkent?

Bukhara is located long ways from Tashkent (572 km), close to the border with Turkmenistan. Given the long distance, it will take some time to get there.

There are three options:

(1) By road (car or bus). This is a rather long and difficult trip which will last 9 hours or more. Probably not worth it if you can avoid it. Roads in Uzbekistan can often get busy, making the trip even longer than you planned on originally. And the longer the trip, the more chances you’ll get stuck in roadwork or some other kind of traffic.

(2) By train. This is always a good option in Uzbekistan as trains are comfortable and reliable. There are two trains which go to Bukhara from Tashkent. One is a high speed Afrosiab train (takes 4-5 hours to get to Bukhara). Another is Sharq train (almost 7 hours). 

(3) By air. In case you prefer flying, you can take a domestic flight Tashkent-Bukhara. Uzbekistan Airways offers nonstop flights to Bukhara on some days of the week (not every day). The flight lasts 1 hour 10 minutes. There are fights departing in the morning and in the evening. Make sure to check the availability of flights when planning your itinerary.

What’s the weather like and what to wear in Bukhara?

If you are visiting Bukhara in summer or early fall, be prepared that it will be really hot. While the temperature is similar to Tashkent, it feels much hotter in Bukhara. Evenings are very nice, however, and perfect for walking. Second half of September and October are really nice months to visit.

In terms of clothes, there is luckily no strict dress code for the main attractions. You should obviously avoid wearing short shorts/skirts and open tops, but that’s true for all Uzbekistan anyway. Most other clothes will be fine. If you want to appear particularly conservative, good idea is to wear pants or knee high skirts/shorts and tops with sleeves covering your elbows. But T-shirt seemed fine with everyone. In terms of headscarves, we were not asked to wear any (although I had one just in case). Sun hats/baseball caps seemed fine to enter the mosques.

A few interesting facts about Bukhara and its history

Before we proceed to the landmarks of Bukhara, I want to spend a little bit of time on Bukhara’s history. It helps to set the stage for everything you will see during your visit.

Bukhara’s history is incredible. Over the centuries, the dynasties kept changing and bringing constant change to the city. I could write forever about the many events which took place in this area. But that might be boring. Instead, I’ll put the most interesting facts from Bukhara’s history. If something catches your eye, you can find out more. 

Early history

Bukhara is a very ancient city. It was already quite developed in the 6th century BC, attracting a lot of attention from various invaders, including Alexander the Great. Arabs first invaded Bukhara in the 7th century, bringing Islam as the new religion for the inhabitants who were previously fire worshippers.

The Samanid Dynasty and other rulers

In the 9th century Bukhara became the capital of the famous Samanid dynasty. This was the start of renaissance for Bukhara, its golden age. The ruler Ismail Ibn Ahmad was able to keep invaders away and allowed trade to flourish. A lot of wealth was created in Bukhara during that period as the city established a prominent position on the Silk Road.

Ismail Ibn Ahmad was also a patron of intellectuals and artisans, attracting the brightest minds to his kingdom. For a couple of centuries, Bukhara was the economic and cultural center. Some of the famous people who lived in Bukhara during its renaissance were the renowned philosopher and physician Avicenna (Ibn Sina) and Persian poets Ferdowsi and Rudaki. As you might know, Avicenna is often described as the father of the early modern medicine.

Unfortunately, after the fall of Samanid dynasty some tough days came for Bukhara. A lot of invaders attacked the city on various occasions. But the real catastrophe happened when Genghis Khan and the Mongol horde rode into Bukhara in 1220. They killed most of the defenders and civilians and left the city laying in ruins.

Bukhara saw some recovery under Timurids and it continued later under the Shaybanids. Abdullah Khan II who ruled in the late 16th century spearheaded the construction of many public buildings and structures, including mosques and madrasas, bridges and reservoirs. During this time, Bukhara becomes a regional religious center.

In the middle of the 17th century, the Mangit dynasty came to power. They established themselves as “emirs” rather than “khans”. At this time, Bukhara’s role in trade significantly diminished. The Silk Road was no longer needed as the goods were now transported via maritime routes.

The rule of Nasrullah Khan

One of the rulers of this period, Nasrullah Khan, was definitely the bloodiest ruler in Bukhara’s history. Nasrullah Khan was known as the “butcher” and killed many of his relatives in order to ascend to the throne. However, he suffered from a hard fate as well: he only lived for 33 years and it was one of his wives who killed him. Not surprisingly, emirs generally did not trust their wives! More about Nasrullah below when I will be describing things to see in Bukhara.

Soviet History

For a while, the Bukhara emirate was under the de facto Russian protectorate, although technically independent. However, its history as an independent state ended with the Bolshevik Revolution. Alim Khan was the last emir of Bukhara. In 1920, the Bolsheviks seized Bukhara and the emir was forced to flee to Afghanistan. Four days of intense fighting brought a lot of pain and destruction of many historical landmarks. Subsequently, many mosques were transformed into workers’ associations and madrasas became stables and storage yards.

Luckily, a lot of historical buildings could still be restored, and after a lot of hard work, Bukhara’s landmarks are now ready to be viewed by the public.

Ten things to do and see in Bukhara

Walk around the magnificent Fortress Arc, Bukhara’s architectural icon 

Fortress Arc, the architectural icon of Bukhara, is one of the top tourist attractions. Make sure to visit it in the morning in order to avoid crowds. The Arc is open from 9:00 till 19:00 daily and entrance fee is about $2.

The exact date of the Arc establishment is not known. However, scientists believe that it was built around the 5th and 6th century AD. The first mosque was constructed inside the Arc in AD 713. During the centuries which followed, large sections of the Arc were destroyed in various battles.

What we see standing today mostly dates from the 16th century Shaybanid dynasty. Under their rule, the Arc accommodated the royal family and about 3,000 people, as well as various administrative buildings like the royal mint, the treasury and slave quarters.

In 1920, a large fire destroyed a lot of buildings. Fortunately, the front part has now been restored. More renovations are taking place inside.

As you walk to the Arc from the bus or taxi stand, you will pass through the Registan, a vast square.

It’s largely empty today, except for tourists taking pictures and a few camels standing by in case someone would like to take a photo with them. But in the past, this square was full of life. You’d see many locals walking around, slave traders showing off their slaves, snake charmers, and various buyers and sellers. You’d also see a luxurious home of the chief of artillery, as well as a line of incredibly gorgeous mosques and madrasas. All of this is now in the distant past, invisible to the human eye. But imagination sure can help.

As you walk around the grounds of the fortress, you will see a lot of interesting sections, including the courtyard of greetings, the administrative building which contains various archeological displays, the “throne hall” (which is actually a courtyard where emirs were crowned), and other attractions.

You will also see some archeological sites which are being excavated right now. We were told that archeologists from various famous museums, including the Louvre, have been to the Arc.

Take some stunning photos of the Kalyan Minaret 

The Kalyan Minar (or Great Minaret) is one of Bukhara’s most famous landmarks which you cannot miss. For many centuries, it served as a beacon for caravans traveling through the desert.

This minaret is 46 meters tall and raises above all other buildings. It was built back in 1127 and took two years to construct.

How did this minaret manage to survive invasions, earthquakes and everything else which was happening since it was constructed? Well, its impressive nature might have had something to do with that.

As mentioned above, Genghis Khan and his warriors destroyed most of Bukhara. However, the ruler spared this particular minaret. He was so impressed by its sight while riding across the steppe towards Bukhara that he decided to spare it.

In the past, it was possible to climb the 104 spiral steps leading to the top of the minaret. In fact, in the distant past Mangits used to tie up their prisoners in sacks and throw them down the Kalyan Minar. This lasted well into the 1800s. Today, access to the staircase is closed for everyone except researchers.

Admire the gorgeous Kalyan Mosque

As you will be admiring the Kalyan minaret, you will see several other gorgeous structures next to it, one of them being a famous Kalyan Mosque. You can first examine it from the outside and then go inside (ticket costs about $1) where you will find a lovely courtyard surrounded by by 208 columns and 288 domes. At the far end of the plaza is a blue dome, Kok Gumbaz, which has an inscription: “Immortality belongs to God”.

The Kalyan mosque stands on the foundation of a much more ancient mosque which had been destroyed by Genghis Khan. He and his army brutally burned the earlier mosque together with many other beautiful architectural constructions.

I still can’t figure out why some people build beautiful architectural monuments and others do everything they can to destroy them. Makes no sense how such different mentalities can co-exist in the world. My native city, Kyiv, is unfortunately in terrible danger now. A lot of architectural treasures there are in danger today, but residents are doing their best to protect them from the missiles and drones.

Returning to Bukhara, the new mosque was built in the destroyed mosque’s place by the Shaybanids (early 16th century). The construction did not take place earlier, under Temur, because he was more keen on building monumental structures in Samarkand and Shahrisabz.

The Kalyan mosque became this city’s main mosque and had enough space for the whole male population of Bukahara (10,000 men at the time of construction).

Visit Lyabi Hauz square and have a refreshing drink at one of the cafes 

The striking Lyabi Hauz ensemble consists of several large structures standing around an artificial reservoir. These include the Kukeldash Madrasa, the khanaka and the Nodir Divan-Begi madrasa. Nodir Divan-Begi was the vizier and brother of the ruler of Bukhara at that time, so the madrasa bears his name.

The Kulkedash madrasa is one of the largest madrasas in Bukhara and was constructed in the middle of 16th century. It measures 86 m by 69 m. The khanaka is a place where dervishes would stay and meditate. The madrasa which stands on the opposite side of the square was actually supposed to be a caravanserai (e.g., courtyard for travelers), but the khan of Bukhara mistakenly thought this was a madrasa. Nodir Divan-Begi had to change its function to please the ruler.

There are several legends which tell the story of this area. One of the legends is that vizier Nodir Divan-Begi was having trouble buying land for his planned construction. The house of a Jewish woman was standing in the way, and she refused to move. Finally, she agreed to give up her house if the ruler ordered the construction of a synagogue nearby.

“Lyabi Hauz” means “the reservoir” in Persian. The reservoir is quite large. It measures 42 m by 36 m and is 5 m deep.

Today, you will find a lot of locals and tourists sitting down at various cafes at the Lyabi Hauz square, enjoying a meal or a drink while admiring the beautiful views of their surroundings.

This square also used to be a highly popular place in the early 17th century when it was just built, with jugglers, musicians, magicians entertaining the crowd. People could fill up their leather buckets from the reservoir (although it’s unclear how good that still water was; it was likely full of germs). The Soviets drained and refilled the pool in the 1960s. Today, nobody drinks from it, obviously.

Take a picture with the statue of a famous fiction character Hodja Nasreddin

I read a book about Hodja Nasreddin a long time ago. This is a witty and clever person who always managed to solve difficult issues in a very creative way. While some other nations have claimed Hodja Nasreddin as their own, I had always thought of him as Uzbek. And obviously, people in Uzbekistan are positive he came from Bukhara.

You will find a large statue of this character in the Lyabi Hauz square. It’s quite busy as a lot of people want to take pictures with Hodja Nasreddin, but if you wait patiently for your turn, you’ll be rewarded.

Make a wish at the Mausoleum of Ismail Samani

After visiting the most iconic sites of Bukhara, I suggest taking a walk around the Samani Park which is located rather close to the Ark. In this park, you’ll find several places of interest for tourists.

The Chashma Ayub Mausoleum is the place where Prophet Job (Ayub) struck the ground with his staff, and a spring of drinking water came out, saving his followers who were dying from terrible thirst. This mausoleum was raised by Temur in 1380 to protect a tomb below. It is unknown who exactly is buried there.

You will also find the Markazi Bazaar where you can buy plenty of fruits, vegetables, various household items, clothes and many other things.

But most importantly, you will be able to visit the 10th century Mausoleum of Bukhara’s beloved ruler, Ismail Samani. He is the founder of the famous Samanid dynasty which brought the years of immense prosperity to Bukhara. This is one of the holiest sites in the whole of Bukhara which has been attracting for more than a millennium. Whether you are Muslim or not, try to make a wish inside the mausoleum. People say it might actually come true!

Ismail Samani was a much admired admired ruler. When he was dying, a lot of people were very upset. They were worried that without his excellent judgment, a lot of challenges will be too hard for them to conquer. How will they know what to do? Ismail told those close to him no to worry. He’d be watching over them closely even from another world. 

And guess what. Whenever the new leaders were facing some important problem, they would put a note into the mausoleum. The next day, they would get a note back. It always contained a good solution to the problem.

While originally it was believed that this was simply a miracle, later people got a better explanation. The ruler was apparently so wise that he left a successor who would be “invisible” to the public. He’d always have good suggestions even when the problem was really difficult.

Eat a dish of delicious plov at an authentic restaurant

There are plenty of great restaurants in Bukhara and you can just pick one which best suits your taste.

The Old Bukhara is an excellent choice with a wide variety of local dishes. If you want to eat near Lyabi Hauz, you can stop by the Lyabi Hauz Chaikhana which is located on the very edge of reservoir. Another good option is Saroy Restaurant.

Haggle at the local market. You will find plenty of arts and crafts 

Bukhara offers a large variety of local souvenirs. Some of the items you can buy here include jewelry, carpets, textiles, musical instruments, hats, miniature paintings, and many other things.

Buying arts and crafts near the main tourist sites (e.g., Kalyan mosque and minaret) guarantees higher prices, but these are still quite affordable for foreign tourists. In addition, you will find the largest variety of souvenir stalls here. There are 3 restored trading domes which you can visit: the money changers’ dome; the hat makers’ dome; and the jewelers’ dome.

If you go out of town to Sitorai Mokhi Khosa, you might be able to buy souvenirs a little cheaper, but selection won’t be as large.

Visit the Zindan and learn about its sad history

For those who are interested in the history of the “Great Game” (the rivalry between British and Russian empires over the influence in Central Asia), an interesting place to visit would be the Zindan. This is a 18th century jail which is located northeast of the Arc. In order to access the jail, you’ll need a separate ticket (US$1.25).

Two British officers, Conolly and Stoddart were kept in this jail until their eventual execution at the order of Nasrullah Khan, “the butcher” who I mentioned earlier.

In 1838, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Stoddart was sent as an envoy to Bukhara’s emir Nasrullah Khan. Unfortunately, he did not possess any diplomatic training and, upon arrival, committed several mistakes. In particular, he did not get off the horse at the courtyard of greetings, while this was a requirement. Long story short, he was thrown in a 6m dungeon known as the Bug Pit. This was a horrible place with rats, snakes and scorpions.

The British and even the Russian government made several attempts to free Stoddart, but the emir ignored all of them. At one point, a fellow British officer, Arthur Conolly, arrived in Bukhara to try and negotiate the release of Stoddart. He made some progress, but then an unfortunate event came. The emir learned the news that the British garnison in Kabul has been annihilated. Sensing the weakness, Nasrullah Khan decided that he now had enough power to execute both officers.

Visit Sitorai Mokhi Khosa – the summer palace of Bukahara emirs 

If you have some extra time, it’s a good idea to visit this beautiful palace which is located about 6 km north from the city center. You’ll have to take a taxi or a minibus to get there.

The palace was built in the late 19th- early 20th century during the rule of the last emir of Bukhara before the Soviets took control of the city.

Sitorai Mokhi Khosa palace was constructed by a number of famous craftsmen of that time. It now houses a museum of applied arts. The palace is located in a beautiful green garden where you can find some peacocks walking around. There are also some arts and crafts stands, in case you forgot to buy something in the old town.