Tourist Attractions & Monuments Uzbekistan

In the cemetery, the Modari Khan Mausoleum, built in 1825, houses the remains of Omar Khan's mother, who died only seven years after her son and always remained very close to power, while successfully and popularly indulging in poetry. The monument is surmounted by a blue dome and its portal imitates, in miniature, that of the Bibi Khanum Mosque in Samarkand. It is therefore mainly women who go on pilgrimage to this tomb and, as elsewhere, go around the grave three times to obtain health, happiness or fertility.

The Dakhma-i-Chakhan Mausoleum (or Tomb of the Kings) is more imposing and colourful than the other funerary monuments in the cemetery. Built in the 1820s, it houses the tombs of Omar Khan, his sons and brother. Restored in 1970, it combines styles that illustrate the talents of the three khanates of Uzbekistan: the woodwork of Khiva, the paintings of the Ferghana and the ornaments of Bukhara. An old tree at the entrance, planted at the time of its construction, provides shade for passing pilgrims who come to collect themselves.

These massive constructions with unusual bulbs, dating from the 16th century, have a very functional architecture. Located at the crossroads of the streets, they have high ogival entrances that allowed traders and camels loaded with goods to move freely. The covered galleries in which the stalls are set up intersect in a central hall surmounted by a high dome. It is cooler here than outside, and the visitor, overwhelmed by the warmth, appreciates the qualities of a commercially oriented architecture when a shrewd merchant invites him to sit in the semi-darkness of his antique shop.

Today, only three of these merchant domes called tâk, which date back to the Chaybanid era, remain, along with the tim Abdullah Khan. In the past, the shopping streets leading to these domes were also lined with shops and protected from the sun by reed mats. Drowning in eternal dust, the traffic was exotic as far as possible, mixing quadrupeds of all sizes and bipeds from all walks of life. Armin Vambery, who in the 19th century was one of the few foreigners to be able to wander freely around the city, says that without having the brilliance and magnificence of the markets of Tehran or Esfahan, the markets of Bukhara were striking for the diversity of races and costumes that one met there.

Tak-i-sarrafan, the dome of the Money Changers. By following westward the canal that borders the southern flank of the Liab-i-Khaouz, one arrives at the Tak-i-Sarrafan dome, known as the "dome of the changers". It was built in 1538 and housed the Jewish money-changers, who were the only ones allowed to engage in this trade, the Uzbeks considering it to be bad luck. If mosques and madrasas are the heart of Bukhara, the merchant domes are its nervous system. It is, in fact, thanks to trade and the resulting taxes that the city was able to experience such a boom.

Tak-i-Telpak Furushan, the dome of the hatters. North of the Magok-i-Attari Mosque, Taq-i-Telpak Furushan, or Dome of the Hatters, was located in the raba, or outer city, just at the southern gate of Shahristan. They sold all kinds of hats, embroidered tioubetek or fur hats, but also books. The tomb of the holy man, Khodja Ahmed-i-Paran, is a reminder to the merchants that there is more than material wealth. Despite its name, the hatters' dome now houses carpet sellers.

The Tim Abdullah Khan. Going north up Hakikat Street, the Tim Abdullah Khan is on the right after the bazaar of hatters. This covered market dates from the end of the 16th century. Today you can find the most beautiful hand woven ikatee silks and a wide selection of carpets from all over the world. The looms are shown at the bottom of the timer.

Tak-i-Zargaran, the dome of the jewelers. Unlike the dome of the hatters, that of the jewellers was located in Shahristan, the inner city of the Middle Ages, between the Mir-i-Arab madrasa and the Ulugh Begh and Abdul Aziz Khan madrasas. Even today, the jewellery merchants are not far away. There is indeed a small gold market in Khodja Nurabad Street, next to the large carpet market. There is some jewelry in the dome of the jewelers, but of poor quality; most shops sell handcrafted souvenirs.

The house of the former President of the People's Republic of Turkestan dates from the end of the 19th century and was built by the father of Fayzulloh, a wealthy Bukharian merchant. An admirable job has been done to reproduce the interior of this house as it was until 1925, when it was transformed into a school by the Bolsheviks. Many murals and period furniture can be admired in the rooms surrounding the three inner courtyards of the house. The rooms of the ichkari, the part of the house reserved for the family, have beautiful period beams and walls with small niches in the style of the old houses of Bukhara. These niches, before finding a decorative vocation, were used as storage spaces and allowed to do without furniture. The iwan, extraordinarily decorated with warm colours and geometric patterns, is made of elm wood that had to be restored many years before it was completed. To get the full measure of this exceptional house, it is best to make an appointment and subscribe to a guided tour (usually in English). You certainly won't regret paying the extra charge for taking pictures either. In the courtyard, note the bust of Fayzulloh Khodjaev. It used to sit in the southwest corner of Liab-i-Khaouz and was cut in three so that it could be reintegrated into the house of its model.

The old cemetery of Kokand is a magical place, especially when you get lost in the finissante day. The screams of the swifts are then the only ones to disturb the absolute calm there. The graves, for most simple whitewashed monuments, appear to be arranged randomly. We walk here quietly, asking from time to time under a tree. The tombs with pastel colours, sometimes blue or pink, indicate early death. It is in this cemetery that you will see the magnificent tombs listed below.

The Jewish quarter of Bukhara is located in the south of the Liab-i-Khaouz basin. It is a picturesque tangle of alleys where the city's large Jewish community used to gather. Synagogues, Jewish schools and houses of all social classes were there. The history of the Jews of Bukhara goes back to the Persian emperor Cyrus who, during his conquest of Babylon, is said to have freed the Jews of the East and encouraged them to settle in his lands in Central Asia. The Jews of Bukhara (a name that actually refers to a larger community than just the Jews living in Bukhara to include all the Jews of Central Asia) are believed to be descendants of those Babylonian Jews who arrived in the ^fifth century B.C., making it one of the oldest known Jewish communities.

Over time, other Eastern Jewish communities (from Yemen, Morocco or Iran) have grown the original Persian-speaking community. The Jews of Bukhara spoke Bukhariot, a dialect with Persian roots which they wrote in Hebrew letters, especially for poetic texts. Even today, very few of them speak Uzbek, but they do speak Russian and Tajik.

The first synagogue was built in 1620; before that, Jews officiated in mosques. The community grew in trade and specialized in fabric dyeing, but was extremely isolated from the rest of the Eastern Jews and widely persecuted. She is obliged to live in a certain neighbourhood, is not allowed to ride horses, cannot wear silk. Like the Marannes, converted to Catholicism but practising Judaism in secret to escape the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisition of the 15th century, some Jews converted to Islam. They are called the Chala here. In 1793, a Sephardic rabbi, Joseph Maimon, arrived in Bukhara and discovered a local cult mixed with Persian influences and Zoroastrianism. He decided to change all this and converted the Jews of Bukhara to the Sephardic liturgy practiced today.

The arrival of the Russians in the 19th century paradoxically appears to be good news for the community. Paradoxically because the Russian Empire and its pogroms are not a priori great supporters of Judaism. However, at the time, the Russians appeared to be less virulent towards the community and the Chalas could return to their original religion without fear of persecution. Unfortunately for them, the Jews of Bukhara are not at the end of their sentence and the arrival of the Bolsheviks sounds the death knell of the community. The 13 synagogues of Bukhara are closed, rich merchants sent to camps, religious practice forbidden. Tired of all these successive persecutions, the Jews of Bukhara migrated en masse to Israel and the United States upon independence. Today, there are about 50,000 in the New York area of Queens alone and 100,000 in Israel. There are less than 300 of them in Bukhara. The few remaining families take care of the two synagogues that have reopened, the school and the cemetery. The beautiful houses in the area have been bought and often transformed into charming guest houses. Today it is very pleasant to stroll through this maze of narrow streets to taste the atmosphere and the beautiful architecture. Most Jewish houses have been converted into guesthouses, so it is often possible to visit the interior.

The mosque was built by Ulugh Begh opposite the Shamsheddin Koulial Mausoleum in 1435. Before renovation, only the interior dome remained, 22 m high; today it is 36 m high. She gave her name to the mosque: Kok Goumbaz means "blue dome". The acoustics are perfect. The walls and the inner dome are entirely covered with fine polychrome geometric patterns. Notice the glazed bricks of the outside gate, you can clearly distinguish between old and new bricks.

It is here that you will see the main pieces unearthed throughout the many excavation campaigns that have marked the life of the site since the Russian conquest. In particular, you will find many period photos and the history of the excavations that have brought to light the life on Afrosyab Hill at the time of the first installations and foundations of the city. The centerpiece of the museum is a 7th century fresco known as "The Ambassadors". It is a unique work, and one of the few available to archaeologists and historians to study Sogdian painting and art. On the four walls of a house discovered by chance in 1965, while the municipality was drilling a new road, this major fresco depicts the Sogdian king Vakhourman receiving ambassadors from neighboring countries. Thus, it is China which is represented on the north wall. It shows the emperor hunting and the empress on a boat. The south wall depicts Samarkand celebrating Navrouz and the east wall depicts India, its pygmies and astrologers. Archaeologists and specialists disagree on the western wall at the moment. The hypotheses of each one are still debated. This major fresco was greatly deteriorated in places. In 2014, France has decided to finance major restoration work. These should last 8 years, under the direction of a French team. In the meantime, a copy can be seen at the Museum of the Peoples of Uzbekistan in Tashkent.

Located behind the Gur Emir, the "White Palace" is a mausoleum from 1470, renovated a few years ago and still surrounded by houses. Much quieter than its large neighbour, you can admire a blue and gold dome, frescoes and beautiful bas-reliefs in the main room. Some historians believe that it is the mausoleum of the male descendants of the Timurids. Others opt instead for nobles, close to Tamerlan. A decapitated skeleton was discovered in the crypt and could be that of Abd-al-Latif, the parricide son of Ulugh Begh.

One of the most beautiful monuments in the city! Built by Omar Khan between 1809 and 1812, its style is monumentally reminiscent of the style of the mosques at iwan. 99 wooden pillars, a veritable forest, support a ceiling with woodwork painted with traditional motifs. It is said that 100 elephants left India to bring back the precious wood from the pillars. One elephant died en route, so there are only 99 to support the awning. The total length of the iwan is 100m. In the middle of the courtyard rises the minaret, which is 22 m high.

Opposite the entrance to the palace, on the other side of the square is the madrasah of the poet khan, known under the pseudonym of Ferouz. The huge portal of the madrasa opens onto a first courtyard surrounded by a floor of cells, an area for traders. The construction follows a square plan, but is characterized by a vaulted passage with 8 domes, the largest in Khiva. Through a second portal, the first courtyard leads to the interior of the madrasa, which houses a museum dedicated to Ferouz.

The highest minaret of Khiva (44.50 m) was built in 1910 by the vizier of Isfandiar Khan, Islam Khodja. It is one of the last Islamic architectural achievements in Central Asia. The minaret had a triple role: religious (the muezzin calls for prayer), military (like the Kalon minaret of Bukhara, it is an ideal observation post to prevent frequent attacks) and that of being an ideal landmark so that one does not get lost in the desert or ... in a city full of meanders. Its slender shape and colourful rings narrowing towards the top would almost make it appear taller than the Kalon Minaret, although it still yields to it nearly 4 m. To have Khiva at your feet and a view of the surrounding desert, take a breath, the minaret has 120 steps. The Islam Khodja Madrasa, built in 1908, is small in size, only the façade has two levels to harmonize with the powerful minaret. The Wazir Islam Khodja was a reformer, but he had the misfortune of serving Isfandiar Khan with a sulphurous reputation. He still managed to build a hospital, to have the telegraph installed in Khiva, but was assassinated when he tried to reform the education system. The madrasa now houses the Museum of Applied Arts where woodwork, carpets, hangings, etc. are on display

Turning right after the minaret leads to a street parallel to the main street, leading to the Pakhlavan Makhmoud Mausoleum.

Pakhlavan Makhmoud (1247-1325) is the patron saint of the city. He was an outstanding character: a furrier of his state, he was also an outstanding wrestler, a great warrior and a poet. Coming from the Kungrad tribe, he is considered the spiritual founder of the dynasty. His tomb was built on the site of his furrier's workshop, and in 1810 he was included in the dynastic mausoleum of the khans kungrad. While the first mausoleum was modest in appearance, it was not until the 19th century that it acquired its present appearance. A high portal leads to an inner courtyard overlooked by the khanaka topped by a drum and a turquoise-blue dome, a summer mosque and annex buildings housing the tombs of the mother and son of Isfandiar Khan. In the courtyard there is also a well where newlyweds wishing to have a child come to drink. The majolica that decorates the interior of the khanaka is breathtakingly beautiful. The walls and the dome are entirely covered with blue and white vegetal arabesques in which are inserted poems by Pakhlavan Makhmoud. These majolica were made by the famous Abdullah Djinn. The tomb of Pakhlavan Makhmud is located in an adjoining room to the left of the main hall. Pilgrims come to gather in front of the openwork gate that protects his tomb. The tombs of Khans Abdul Gazi (1663), Anucha (1681) and Muhammad Rakhim are placed in the khanaka.

East of the jewelers' bazaar. "Kosh madrasa" means "two madrasas". This term refers to all buildings facing each other or belonging to the same complex. Thus, southwest of the Bolo Khaouz Mosque, the two madrasas Modar-i-Khan and Abdullah Khan are also known as "kosh madrasas". The Ulugh Begh Madrasa dates from 1417, it is the oldest of the two. It was built by Ulugh Begh, the astronomical prince of Samarkand, Tamerlan's successor. The inscription on the front door recalls the wisdom and open-mindedness of its builder: "To aspire to knowledge is the duty of every Muslim. "Open-mindedness that few of his contemporaries and successors shared, since the building, like all madrasas, remained closed to women. This was the first of three madrasas built by Ulugh Begh, the other two being in Samarkand and Gidjuvan, 45 km from Bukhara in the direction of Samarkand. The Madrasa of Bukhara is smaller in size than its sister Madrasa of the Registan of Samarkand, but its harmonious proportions and the skilful sobriety of its decoration make it a fine example of Bukhara's medieval architecture and a precious legacy of the Timurid architecture in Bukhara, which was much neglected in this period compared to Samarkand. After independence, students were able to return to study in the madrasah cells, but the government finally preferred to restore it and open it to tourism.

The city's Restoration Museum is housed in the old mosque on the right, and souvenir and craft shops have invaded the cells. A spiral staircase leads to the vaulted roof above the entrance. Much less sober than its neighbour, the madrasa of Abdul Aziz Khan was built two hundred years later, in 1654, when Bukhara had become the capital of the khanate. The architecture and decoration of the imposing madrasa built under the Chaybanids were carried out by the best master craftsmen of the time.

The mosaic of the pishtak, or entrance portal, as well as that of the portals leading to the inner courtyard, is a bright yellow tangle of vegetation with simorgh birds and even a dragon. These decorations, like those on the façade of the Nadir-Divanbeg Madrasa, are a departure from the Islamic rule forbidding figurative art. But the decorator of the madrasah, Abdul Aziz Khan, seems to have ventured to the limits of tolerance: from the darskhana, looking at the back of the mosque when the lights are off, and letting the eyes get used to the darkness, one can see the faded silhouette of a man in a turban, which disappears as one walks towards the entrance and the eyes get used to the light again. Many different techniques were used to decorate the madrasa: relief majolica, painted gantch casts, engraved marble, chiselled mosaic... The decoration of the interior domes of the winter and summer mosques is particularly remarkable. The darskhana to the right of the entrance, transformed into an antique shop, is worth seeing for two reasons: its unrestored decoration is sublime and there are beautiful carpets and suzani. The madrasa also has fireplaces, a great innovation for the time. The decoration of the façade and part of the courtyard has remained unfinished. Indeed, Abdul Aziz Khan was dethroned and his successor put an end to the work.

Before the Arab conquest there was a market and a Buddhist temple on this site, then a Zoroastrian temple dedicated to the moon. The first mosque was built in the 9th century - making it the oldest in Central Asia - on the ruins of the temple, as was customary at that time, building on the existing foundations. It was completely rebuilt in the 12th century and remodelled in the 16th century. But following the destruction of Genghis Khan, it was found below ground level and was only discovered in 1839 by Shishkin, the same archaeologist who had unearthed the Samani mausoleum in the cemetery, which was buried under the ground for the same reasons. Excavations have also brought to light the south portal of the 12th century mosque. Shishkin also discovered traces of the Zoroastrian temple dating back to the ^5th century, and the even older Buddhist temple. Over the centuries, the ground level had risen several meters and the Magok Mosque had been half buried underground. Already for the construction of the east portal, which dates from the 16th century, the entrance had to be adapted to the change in street level, and a staircase with wide steps leads down to the entrance of the mosque. The mosque has a very colourful name that reflects its history: "agok" means "underground" and "attor" means "merchant". The mosque now serves as a carpet exhibition hall. To the east, the wells go down into the earth to where the Buddhist temple used to be.

The mazar, in fact a chapel, is a place as revered as the Ismail Samani mausoleum. Chachma Ayoub means "source of Job". Legend has it that Job, the Old Testament prophet, brought a spring of pure water by planting his pilgrim's staff there. It is not the only mausoleum in the Muslim world dedicated to Job, and his tomb will be found more than once where a spring of pure water springs in Syria, Iraq or the Sultanate of Oman. Recent archaeological research has established that a mazar was built here as early as the 9th century, but the present building dates from the 14th and 16th centuries. It consists of four main rooms in which the gurkhana, the holy water spring, and the rooms for pilgrims are located. Near the entrance to the gurkhana, an inscription attributes the construction of the mazar to Amir Hadjaj and thanks Tamerlan for his benevolence. On the wooden plank, another inscription records the arrival of the Prophet Ayub and his death in Bukhara. It is the only building in Bukhara that dates back to the time of Tamerlan. The cone-shaped dome, built in the 14th century, is typical of Khorezm architecture and was executed by craftsmen from Kounia Ourgench whom Tamerlan had brought back from his military campaigns. The round lantern dome was added in the 16th century. The spring, reputed for its healing properties, is supposed to cure skin diseases. The mazar now houses a museum dedicated to the history and different techniques of water supply in Bukhara.

The summer residence of the khans of Bukhara is located in a huge park of more than 6 ha, 5 km from the city. It is a privileged place for walking because of its coolness, especially during the hot summer hours. A first palace surrounded by gardens was built by Amir Akhad Khan at the end of the 19th century. Alim Khan, his son, added a new building in 1914. Bukhara's last khan had studied in St. Petersburg, and his way of life was affected. He commissioned a palace that was undoubtedly intended to be at the cutting edge of modernity, blending Russian architecture with the decorative style of Central Asia. The result is surprising. The tour includes three different bodies of buildings, which have been transformed into museums: the apartments and reception rooms of Alim khan, the octagonal palace and the harem. The reception rooms of Emir Alim Khan, built in a row, in the western style, are a contribution of the Russian architects working at the court of the Emir. The white room is a unique work of art, its walls are entirely covered with finely chiselled white gantch on a background of mirrors. The construction of this Bukhar version of the Ice Palace took three years, during which the architect refused the khan entry to the construction site. When Alim Khan was finally able to admire the result, he was overwhelmed and, resuming the good old ancestral habits, decided to have the architect killed so that he could not share his art with others. Fortunately, Chirin Muradov, the architect of the clean room, was warned in time and managed to escape. At the entrance, a high boudoir is decorated with stalactite niches in which are painted unusual and beautiful bouquets of multicoloured flowers. The walls and ceiling of the games room and waiting room are entirely decorated with gold panels, covered with an extraordinary and somewhat oppressive mosaic of mirrors. The banquet hall is the most original and sumptuous, it had four decorative walls, one for each season, which were changed thanks to a mechanism that no one remembers, but, in any case, the other three decorations disappeared after the revolution. In these rooms are displayed various gifts offered to the Emir, including an original all-glass refrigerator. The mirzo-khona, or secretary's room, is the most sober of the rooms, its three-wing mirror is, it seems, magical. Looking at it, you have to make a wish, which comes true within 40 days... At the end of the building, the veranda exposes a beautiful collection of antique vases from all over the world. The octagonal palace is a museum devoted to national costume, where ceremonial clothes, multicoloured khalat or dark paranjas are displayed amidst pictures of the princely family. Clothes were usually made by women, but gold thread designs were embroidered only by men. The octahedral hall for guests was originally decorated with gold leaf; after the revolution, gold would have been replaced by bronze and taken to Russia. The harem houses the Embroidery Museum. The different decorative techniques are illustrated by one of the most beautiful collections of suzani from Uzbekistan. In front of the harem is a large body of water. It is said that the Emir used to sit in the domed platform that borders this pool to watch his wives bathe, and would choose the chosen one from his heart by throwing an apple at her.

" The doors of the Father ", or doors to the west, were the main doors of the city. They had a bazaar and also hosted the changers. Destroyed in 1920, they were restored by the Soviets in 1975. It is usually by these doors that tourists begin their visit to the old town and buy tickets that give them access to all monuments inside (except access to minarets and watch towers).

Ak means "white", but was understood as "noble", because white was by no means the colour of Tamerlan's palace, whose walls were covered with azure and dark blue majolica. The first contact with this huge square was disappointing. Indeed, not much remains of the sumptuous palace that Clavijo's story allows us to imagine. The ruins of the portal are immense - 30 m - and still covered with majolica tiles, but the 22 m high vault did not resist the earthly attraction. The depredations are ancient, since it was the Emir of Bukhara who had the building destroyed in the 16th century: the palace, whose construction lasted more than a quarter of a century, cast a shadow over it. There is of course a legend about the architect of this palace : in the first version, once the palace was finished, Tamerlan asked the architect if he was capable of building an even more beautiful palace, the boaster answered yes, and was immediately thrown from the top of the walls; in the second version, the architect was supposed to inscribe at the foot of the arch, the following sentence: "The Sultan is the shadow of Allah" but, on one of the sides, he ran out of room, which gave: "The Sultan is the shadow"! In each tower, a spiral staircase climbs to the top from where there is a splendid view of the city and the snow-covered peaks to the south. Unfortunately, it is no longer possible to climb the palace gates to enjoy the beautiful panorama of the city and its surroundings.

The grave that Tamerlan reserved for himself near his sons remained forgotten for a very long time and was rediscovered by chance in the 1940s. Its extreme sobriety is the opposite of the mausoleum in which he finally rests, the Gur Emir of Samarkand, and was more suited to his desires: just a tombstone engraved with prayers in a small, cool and silent crypt, the walls of which also bear inscriptions engraved in stone. It is one of the most interesting places to visit in Sharisabz, having been spared by the reconstruction.

Behind the Tomb of the Kings, this white tombstone commemorates Nadira, Omar Khan's wife. This is the opportunity to discover this poetess who lived from 1792 to 1842 (she was murdered by the Emir of Bukhara when he took over the city). After the death of her sovereign husband in 1822, she ruled the Khanate of Kokand. She is known for her poems written in both Uzbek and Persian. This slab is the object of pilgrimage by many women.

The former palace of the diplomat Alexander Polovtsev was turned into a museum in 1938. Of the 24 original parts, only a dozen remain, of which only some have been restored. The reception room and the small lounge in an eclectic oriental style deserve a visit. The architectural ensemble is reminiscent of a mosque, with an iwan and an inner courtyard, the reception hall even having a mihrab indicating the direction of Mecca. A quote from Umar Khayyam - "The world is a palace with two doors, through one you enter, through the other you leave. " - adorns one of the doors of the great hall with walls entirely covered with painted stucco. Carved wooden columns support an impressive painted wooden ceiling. The central fountain was unfortunately covered with marble a few years ago. Just behind it, the small salon where the hookah was smoked has also suffered from the restoration. In the exhibition rooms you will see suzani (embroidered drapes) from different periods, tioupé (embroidered caps) in the first room, pottery and ceramics in the second room, wood carvings, musical instruments and jewellery mostly from the 20th century. At the end of the route, you can linger at the souvenir shop which offers beautiful local handicrafts. There is also a small café in the courtyard for a hot drink or refreshment at the end of the visit.

This madrasa was transformed into a museum devoted to Timur's history. Educative, but not particularly interesting. Avoid unless you know nothing about the conqueror.

It was built, about ten years before the arrival of the Bolsheviks, by Muhammad Rahim Khan, known as Ferouz. The marriage of oriental styles with the luxury of St. Petersburg is striking and testifies to the fascination exerted on the last khans by the sumptuous life of the tsars. The palace, entirely enclosed by walls, consists of a large garden in the north-west quarter, a vast reception hall, official lounges, the khan's apartments: in total, more than a hundred rooms, galleries in all directions, courtyards lined with iwan..

Built at the beginning of the 19th century, this miniature madrasa behind the Kalian minaret often goes unnoticed, eclipsed as it is by its huge neighbours. It nevertheless presents an interesting unusual architecture. Indeed, it has three interior courtyards, intended for classrooms and living quarters. It is now a children's library but it is possible to go there to take a few steps and enjoy the timeless atmosphere that floats there, contrasting with the tourist crowd outside.

The city was fortified from the very beginning. The Ark was a citadel surrounded by high walls, and Shakhrestan, the Inner City, also had its walls. And to protect itself from nomadic attacks, the oasis of Bukhara was surrounded by a wide enclosure of several tens of kilometres. It was consolidated in the 8th century, after the Arab conquest. Like the city, these fortifications were frequently destroyed and rebuilt. At the end of the ninth century, Ismail Samani had the wall surrounding the oasis of Bukhara rebuilt again: "As long as I am alive," he said, "I will be the wall of Bukhara. "During the reign of Abdul Aziz Khan in 1540, the imposing walls that protected the city from the outside world were 12 km long and 11 m high. They had 11 sturdy double doors flanked by turrets that remained closed at night. The walls suffered some clashes during the feudal wars, but protected the city until the Russian conquest. In 1920, the Bolshevik army left only a few kilometres of it, large parts of which can still be seen today in the bazaar district and in the south-west of the city. The best-preserved parts are just north of the Ismail Samani Mausoleum, around the Talipoch Gate, once decorated with gold nails, and one of only two that have survived to the present day. It was here, until the Russians arrived, that the slave market was held, which has since been replaced by the great bazaar Kolkhoznaya.

On Karimov Street, the pedestrian promenade that connects Registan Square to the Bibi Khanum Mosque, you will find a private tourist information centre, operated by young English-speaking students and volunteers. You will have access to a wealth of information about Samarkand and its surroundings. Good city maps are also available. Don't hesitate to ask: you will be given a lot of useful information. Second centre open in season near the Gour Emir.

The huge square, the ancient heart of Bukhara, seems quite empty. The residences of the Bukhariot nobles, the three madrasas and the mosque that surrounded it were destroyed at the beginning of the century. The only monument erected in the square was a statue of Lenin, which in turn disappeared in 1992. It was in this square, where there was also a very lively bazaar, that the public executions took place. Its only interest today is a metal tower from the top of which one can enjoy the view of the city, with the fortress guard house in the foreground.

Sadly famous, these prisons built in the 18th century tried to rival hell. On Fridays, some prisoners were freed from the chains around their necks, and compassionate relatives or passers-by could bring them food for the week. Perhaps the supreme punishment was not death, but a 6-metre deep well, the "black well", where the condemned were forgotten among the rats and all the most voracious insects of creation. Some captives managed to survive for several months. In 1839, an Englishman, Lieutenant Charles Stoddart, charged with making an alliance with Emir Nasrullah, tasted the distress of the Black Well for disrespecting the Emir by riding when he should have been walking, and walking when he should have been crawling. Furthermore, his mission statement was not from Queen Victoria. He spent six months at the bottom of the hole before earning his grace by converting to Islam. He remained a prisoner but was free to move around the city and stay in his own apartments. In September 1840, a captain of the Bengal Light Infantry, Arthur Conolly, came to inquire about the fate of his compatriot and to try to free him. Shortly after his arrival, the British army was defeated in Afghanistan at the Battle of Khyber Pass. The Emir, in a position of strength, convinced by his advisers that Conolly was a spy, had the two men thrown into the black well. In June 1842, when Conolly refused to convert to Islam, the two English officers were executed in Registan Square, where their bodies probably still lie. Nothing is known of their deaths, however, it is said that Stoddart, a convert to Islam, died beheaded or with his throat cut, but without suffering. Conolly, who refused conversion, probably wasn't so lucky. The story is known thanks to the notebook that Conolly held to the bottom of his well, which was found by the Reverend Joseph Wolff in 1845. Hopkirk's book, The Great Game, also tells the story of these two heroic victims of the "great game" in detail. Mannequins now replace the most famous prisoners of the Black Pit, but the two English officers are not represented. Outside the prisons is the tomb of Saint Kuchar Ata, overlooked by the traditional perch, where prisoners were allowed to practice religious rites.

Here you will find friendly, English-speaking staff ready to provide you with practical information about possible expeditions to the citadels of the desert and Karakalpakstan. Accompanied by local guides, we can offer you two tours: a short one including three citadels and two lakes, or a long one with the discovery of six citadels and two lakes. It is also possible to organise a visit to Djampik kala and the Bala Tugaï reserve.

This is the oldest monument in Khiva. A mausoleum with dome and portal was built in the early 14th century around the tomb of Sufi sheik Said Alauddin who died in 1303. A ziatkhona, a small room through which one reaches the tomb, was added to it under Allah Kouli khan in the 19th century. The tomb covered with majolica with blue and white vegetal motifs is the work of Amir Kulal, a ceramist from Bukhara. Despite the presence of two graves, only one body lies in the tomb

The Biruni Bridge leads to the eponymous town, 15 kilometres north-east of Urgentch, and is named after the encyclopaedist Al-Biruni (973-1050), who was born there. Few drivers know this, but you can go and see his tomb on the right a little after crossing the bridge, a stone's throw from the ruins of Xat Kala. The body of the great Muslim scholar who, 600 years before Galileo, claimed that the earth could only be spherical in shape, lies in the shelter of a small octagonal mausoleum.

The museum presents the evolution of the Uzbek Olympic Committee since 1992 and houses some sports treasures. Of course, Uzbekistan is not a great Olympic nation. However, the Uzbek government attaches particular importance to sport, as evidenced by the many stadiums and sports facilities built since independence. You can enjoy a walk along the Ankhor Canal to admire the facade. The museum café offers a pleasant moment on the canal.

The Bavianov family, based in Khiva in Ichan kala, has 10 new and comfortable cars. All have air conditioning, are clean and perfectly maintained. All the men in the family have been working as drivers in the area for years and their reputation has not diminished over time. Gulam is young, dynamic and speaks some English. Above all, he knows the region like the back of his hand and will not lose you on the sometimes complicated and somewhat hidden paths of the desert fortresses. Call ahead to set a date.

Founded in the 1st century BC, it was the residence of the Bukhar-Khudat, the Hephtalite kings who ruled after the Kushans. The city then exceeded Bukhara in size and, when the Arab conquerors seized it, they killed King Sukan and destroyed his palace, then beheaded the military leader who attempted a rebellion. The city, until the 12th century, remained an important economic centre. But it was not as fortunate as Bukhara and, after the Mongols destroyed its irrigation system, it quickly became a ghost town.

This fortress has a set of high walls behind which the garrison of Toprak kala was sheltered. It is well worth the detour, but the runoff of rain over the centuries has considerably weakened its foundations. And the comings and goings of tourists who take advantage of the lack of demarcation to survey the ramparts has obviously not helped. Some renovations have taken place in recent years, so no matter how spectacular the views are, try to respect what remains of the walls when you visit.

The citadel immediately impresses with its vast expanse. The walls have been rather well preserved and it is possible to go almost all the way around without going down. Just as in Ayaz kala, Djambaz kala is in the middle of the desert and occupies a particularly photogenic site, near a lake, populated only by a few eagles and marmots. Observe the huge sand dunes that form on the sides of the walls and which bear witness to the silting up of the region following the disappearance of the Aral Sea. 500 yards away, yurt camp.

A few hundred metres from Navoi airport, the Rabat i Malik caravanserai is located along the road to Bukhara. We'd almost pass him by without seeing him, but he deserves a stop. The ruins of a Karakhanid caravanserai can be seen, whose portal and foundations have been restored. Opposite are the ruins of an underground water reservoir built in the 11th century called Sardoba Rabati Malik. It has also been restored.

The mausoleum of Mirsaid Bakhrom is located in the park behind the market. The portal of the domed mausoleum dates from the end of the 10th century. Its decoration, made with an arrangement of bare bricks, is reminiscent of that of the Samanides' mausoleum. Today the monument is endangered by the saline rises. Look at the bricks, you can see a large deposit of salt. The mausoleum is still an important place of pilgrimage, and the faithful can come there very early in the morning.

The khanaka Kasym-Sheikh is an architectural ensemble of the 16th century, consisting of a mosque with a small blue dome and a khanaka. Kasym Sheikh's grave is behind the mosque. The khanaka for pilgrim dervishes was built by Abdullah khan, a native of Karmana. There are several tombs of saints in the inner courtyard, as was customary in the khanaka. The place is quiet and rarely frequented, you will have to charter a taxi to get there and pay for the round trip plus the waiting time of the driver.

Visit one of the most famous cutlery shops in Uzbekistan. The traditional Uzbek knife is called the pitchok. It's said to protect against wounds and the devil. It is often stored in a black leather sheath decorated with bright colours. You will find them everywhere in Uzbekistan: on the Chorsu bazaar in Tashkent or in the merchant domes of Bukhara. But of course, nothing is better than watching the manufacturing process in the company of the blacksmith, choosing, negotiating and buying your knife directly on the spot, from the hands of the craftsman!

In this workshop we make the tioupés, the small caps that all Uzbeks wear and whose motifs define their region of origin. There are classic models and others, more elaborate, made of fabric or enhanced with silk or velvet, for ceremonies. The special feature of Choust skullcaps is that they can be folded up and stored neatly in one's pocket, like an origami. They take up no more space than a mobile phone and Uzbeks take great care of them.

This is where the people of Ferghana come to get some coolness on the hottest days. A little higher up is the tomb of "Grandfather Satkat", on the very spot where he fought against the hordes of Genghis Khan who swept over his country. He repulsed the first attacks of the Mongols but this did not prevent them from breaking into his camp one night and killing him to end the resistance. The tomb is a small place of pilgrimage, next to which an imam prays for visitors who come to pay their respects.

At the entrance of the necropolis dedicated to a local branch of the Sayyid dynasty is an impressive sardoba (water reservoir) whose huge vault is still preserved. The mausoleum of Seyd Amir Samsidin was built in the 16th century, but the marble tombstone dates from 1491. The summer mosque and the domed mosque were built between the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as the minaret for which bricks from the ancient city of Kasba were used.

In the middle of a cemetery, this complex of mausoleums and mosques was built between the 9th and 16th centuries. Its origin is the wise Azrat Khussan Ata, who died there. Born in the city of Turkestan (now in Kazakhstan), in the ninth century according to the imam of the mosque, in the eleventh according to Soviet scholars, he would have gone as far as Mecca and returned here, in Poudina, to teach the Koran near an old tree near a basin he would have built. It is also here that, a few centuries later, Baha Al-Din Naqchband, the founder of the Sufi order in Central Asia, whose mausoleum is a few kilometres from Bukhara, is said to have come to learn here. Around the tomb of Khussan Ata, votive cloth and a ponytail bear witness to his high degree of wisdom. The main mausoleum houses the remains of the holy man and his daughter. The other three, again according to the Imam, contain those of Khussan Ata's brother and his sons, then those of the second brother and his wife, and finally those of the first brother's daughters. On the side of the Soviet researchers, one would rather consider that these are the tombs of nobles of the region. Whichever version you subscribe to, this site seduces by its timeless character and by the different aspects of its architecture, which spans some ten centuries. Moreover, the crossing of the village of Poudina and the reception of the old turbaned imams would be enough in themselves to justify the displacement.

The Kampir-Tepe fortress lies on a terrace on the right bank of the Amu Darya River, 30 km west of the city of Termez. Built in the 3rd century BC at the crossroads of trade routes near the border areas, it is part of the settlements of the Kushan Empire. Alexander the Great passed through it when he crossed the Amud Daria. The present site was excavated in 1972 and archaeological work was carried out in the 1990s. Traces of Buddhism have been discovered there, making Kampir Tepe an essential reference. The site is magnificent.

A hundred kilometres south of Shahrisabz, near the village of Tashkurgan, treks were organized a few years ago to visit the Tamerlane caves and search for traces of dinosaurs lost in the mountains. The area is now inaccessible.

South of Shahrisabz, take the direction of Gouzar; in Kamachi, turn east towards the village of Langar where you must see the Juma Mosque (Friday Mosque), then climb to the mausoleum of the most famous Saint of the region, Mohamed Sadik who lived in the th century. With perseverance, you can go by bus, but it's much simpler by taxi. Ask for advice from Hotel Shahrisabz staff.

At the foot of the Zeravchan chains, the dakhma of Khodja Public Khan died in the late th century, facing a deserted khanaka. On the hill, twelve wells owe their origin to this saint who would have raised pure water by touching the land of his stick.

From the birthplace of Timur there is only a small cemetery where turtles and snakes try to make good cleaning. Beware of tall herbs. Following the track, you can go back to Shahrisabz.