Features of the ancient city of Uzbekistan – Bukhara
Not a single tourist traveling around Uzbekistan will miss one of the most antient and beautiful cities - Bukhara. For 2500 years of existence the history of Bukhara has been filled with many legends and secrets. It has something to show and to tell everyone who is interested in the life of this beautiful city.
One of the legends is linked to the founding of the city itself. According to this legend Bukhara appeared thanks to Prince Siyavush who wanted to marry the daughter of King Afrasiab. The king set a condition – to build a fortress only with bull skin. The prince was so eager to get the hand of the princess that he resorted to a trick – he cut the skin into thin strips, wove a carpet from them and built a fortress which is now called Ark Fortress. In the future this fortress became the centre of the city. Rulers with their retinue lived on its territory for a long time.
Since ancient times Bukhara has been a trade point on the Great Silk Road. Its greatness was described in the writings of Marco Polo. Under the reign of Temur Bukhara became a regional centre and under the grandson of Mirzo Ulugbek – a major cultural centre in Central Asia.
Bukhara is a great heritage of architectural monuments and works of famous scientists.
The modern beauty of Bukhara is a combination of the old and the new city. Oriental flavour, majesty, spirituality – all of this fills the ancient buildings of the old city. Thanks to residents, many architectural monuments have been preserved in their original form. Some of these monuments are under the auspices of UNESCO.
The Ark Fortress, the Lyabi-Khaus architectural complex, the Mausoleum of Ismail Samani, the Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace, the Bahauddin Nakshbandiy complex are examples of the unique architecture of the great masters. Each of these monuments has a history associated with it, for instance the Poi-Kalyan minaret. The legend tells that after the Mongol invasion took place in the 18th century, the conqueror Genghis Khan drove up to the main minaret to examine the tower. When he raised his head, a helmet fell from his head, and he had to bend down for it. “I conquered Bukhara but bowed in front of its minaret”, - Genghis Khan chuckled and ordered not to destroy the minaret.
Also, the Bukhara land can be proud of its scientists. The world-famous Abu Ali Ibn Sino (known in the West as Avicenna), the mathematician Abu Raykhon Beruniy, the outstanding Sufi Bahouddin Naqshbandiy, the scientist and poet Omar Khayyam created history and left a rich scientific heritage to the whole world.
There is a lot to see in Bukhara. The originality of this Eastern region attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world.
