BUKHARA, UZBEKISTAN: MONUMENTS, MOSQUES, AND MAUSOLEUMS

As a major stop along the Silk Road, Bukhara had exposure to many different cultures. That is still apparent today in their architecture and diet and appearance. Bukhara even has a Jewish synagogue, built in the 16th century:

The land for this synagogue was granted to the Jews in exchange for a piece of property owned by some local Jews and on which the local vizier wanted to build a madrasa. A deal was cut and the beautiful Madrasa of Nadir Divan-begi was built on the site in 1622:

It is best know for this unusual depiction of two phoenixes and a sun with a face on the entrance portal:

However, even better than the phoenixes is this monument in front of it. The "wise-fool" Hodja Nasreddin, a national folk hero about whom many stories have been written, is one of the most visited sites in town. This likable chap has one hand over his heart and another raised in what is understood in this area as the "all OK" sign (and which is somewhat like Spock's "Live long and prosper" Vulcan salute):

Apparently it is a very popular place for photos, even for the locals (who take everything from family to wedding photos with Nazreddin), and sometimes the lines for the opportunity to pose with him are long:

For more information about Hodja Nasreddin and for illustrated samples of stories about him, visit this site.

The oldest structure in Bukhara is known as "The Ark," a fortress built in the 5th century AD:

This fortress provided refuge for residents during an invasion by the forces of Genghis Khan, but the Great Khan was able to break through the defense and ransack the interior.

Nevertheless, it was restored and continued to function as a fortress, as well as the enclosure for a small city, until it fell to the Russians in 1920 during the Battle of Bukhara, during which it was bombed by aircraft and significantly damaged--but not destroyed. What is left is now a historic site.

At the top of the entrance ramp is the Juma, or Friday mosque, which was built in the late 1700s:

Extended eaves form a wooden canopy on three sides of the mosque:

Intricately carved wooden columns still hold up the original roof:

Old cannons atop the fortress walls testify of its use for defense:

A view of the courtyard:

An interior courtyard is a great showroom for the Uzbek craft of suzanis, or intricately embroidered tablecloths:

There is such an abundance of architectural and design gems to see that it is almost overwhelming:

My favorite building inside the walls of The Ark is the Bolo Haouz Mosque, another Friday mosque, built in 1712:

The Bolo Haouz minaret was built in 1917:

The interior is quite unique with it's bursting flower dome decor and not-so-subtle blue backlighting:

Another old and important structure in Bukhara is the Samarid Mausoleum, built between 892 and 943 AD. A small amusement park stands between the parking lot and the mausoleum:

I'm not sure if this pseudo-Mickey and Minnie are hilarious or creepy--some of both, maybe:

There is the sacred mausoleum, just beyond the rubber ducky train:

According to Wikipedia, this "is considered to be one of the most highly esteemed works of Central Asian architecture." It is the final resting place of Ismail Samoni, an emir who led the conquest of much of Central Asia and founded the Samanid Dynasty. He is known for being intelligent, compassionate, and just, and for giving away all of his booty from conquests, keeping nothing for himself.

Look at the intricate brickwork behind the sign. The vertical bricks are rotated 45° to create a point:

The tomb:

We interrupt this tour of ancient monuments to take a peak at a modern citizen caring for his pet dog sheep in his driveway:

Okay, back on track. This is the Chor Minor Mosque. Chor Minor translates to "Four Minarets":

This mosque is of more recent vintage than much of what we saw, dating back only to the early 19th century:

Look carefully and note that each dome has a different band of tilework, as if the architect and craftsmen wanted to show off their talent. Look even more closely and you'll see our friends Susan and John standing among the minarets:

Just across from the mosque is a shop with some unusual stock for sale--uniforms and medals from the Soviet period. Obviously, the Soviets gave out a plethora of medals. Wouldn't it be fun to know the stories behind some of them?

Our friend tried on a hat and jacket and did his best to look menacing. Somehow the tan pants and shoes mar the total effect:

Time to move on. We have two more places to visit on our way out of town.

By the way, the turquoise domes of Central Asia are so popular that even the modern office buildings have them. However, I don't think it's quite the same; do you?