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Bukhara

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Bukhara is a very important city in Uzbekistan.

Ark fortress in Bukhara
Ark fortress in Bukhara

It is the capital of the Bukhara Region. The city has about 280,187 people living there today. For a long time, it was a major stop on the Silk Road. This famous path helped the city become a center for trade and culture.

Boukhara 4654a
Boukhara 4654a

It was also a place where people went to study religion and science. Because it is so special, UNESCO calls its historic center a World Heritage Site.

The city is famous for its many old buildings. There are about 140 architectural monuments to see.

Chor Minor mosque (Чор-Минор, Бухара)
Chor Minor mosque (Чор-Минор, Бухара)

Many of these are mosques, which are places for prayer. Others are madrasas, which are schools for learning. One huge building is the Kalyan Mosque.

It was finished around 1514. The mosque is big enough to hold twelve thousand people at once. It has many domes and large pillars to hold up the roof.

Bukhara has a history that goes back thousands of years.

EucratidesStatere
EucratidesStatere

Long ago, the whole area was called Bukhara. Some scholars think the name comes from an old word for a Buddhist monastery. This means the city might have been a Buddhist place in the past. Later, it became a very important center for the Islamic world. It was the home of the great scholar Imam Bukhari.

M17 Abassides Sogdiane 2 (8011745146)
M17 Abassides Sogdiane 2 (8011745146)

The city also served as a capital for several different states and empires.

One of the most famous sights is the Kalyan Minaret.

An architect named Bako designed this tall brick tower. It is very high and can be seen from far away across the flat plains. Inside the tower, there is a spiral staircase made of brick. The tower is part of a larger group of buildings called the Po-i-Kalyan complex.

Another famous place is the Ark, which is a large fortress.

Bukhara is still a place where people make beautiful things.

Suzani, Bukhara pre-1850
Suzani, Bukhara pre-1850

People there make special cloth called Suzani textiles. These are famous all over the world. The city has also seen many changes through the years. In 1920, the city was part of a war and saw fighting by the Red Army.

Fires in Bukhara 1920
Fires in Bukhara 1920

Today, it is a modern city that still keeps its ancient spirit alive.

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🖼️ Images & Media (16)
File:EucratidesStatere.jpg
EucratidesStatere.jpg
File:M17 Abassides Sogdiane 2 (8011745146).jpg
M17 Abassides Sogdiane 2 (8011745146).jpg
File:Suzani, Bukhara pre-1850.jpg
Suzani, Bukhara pre-1850.jpg
File:Prokudin-Gorskii-19.jpg
Prokudin-Gorskii-19.jpg
File:Fires in Bukhara 1920.jpg
Fires in Bukhara 1920.jpg
File:Church of Archangel Michael in Bukhara 15-03.JPG
Church of Archangel Michael in Bukhara 15-03.JPG
File:Bird Simurgh on Nadir Devanbegi Madrasah, Bukhara (Симург на Медресе Нодир-Диван-Беги, Nodir devonbegi madrasasi).jpg
Bird Simurgh on Nadir Devanbegi Madrasah,...
File:Nasr Eddin Hodja statue in Bukhara Liab -i-Haouz complex (4x3).JPG
Nasr Eddin Hodja statue in Bukhara Liab...
File:Ark fortress in Bukhara.jpg
Ark fortress in Bukhara.jpg
File:La_mosquée_Bolo-Khaouz_(Boukhara,_Ouzbékistan)_(5684790316).jpg
La_mosquée_Bolo-Khaouz_(Boukhara,_Ouzbékis...
File:Chor Minor mosque (Чор-Минор, Бухара).jpg
Chor Minor mosque (Чор-Минор, Бухара).jpg
File:Magʻoki attori masjidi (Мечеть Магоки-Аттари, Бухара, Magok-i-Attari Mosque).jpg
Magʻoki attori masjidi (Мечеть...

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