Travel Guide Karmana

A few kilometers north of Navoi, Karmana was a stopover town on the Silk Road between Bukhara and Samarkand, and was an obligatory passage for caravans and pilgrims after the desert area. Its fertile land and fresh water earned it the privilege of being a resort for the last Bukharan emirs who were originally from there. It has preserved some monuments which are worth a small stop if you pass by there. The Kasym-Sheik khanaka is an architectural complex of the XVIth century, composed of a mosque with a blue dome and a khanaka. It was built by Abdullah Khan for the pilgrim dervishes. There are several tombs of saints in the inner courtyard, as was customary in the khanaka. The mausoleum of Mirsaid Bakhrom is located in the park behind the market. The portal of the mausoleum with a dome dates from the end of the 10th century. The decoration of the mausoleum is reminiscent of the Samanid mausoleum. Before the Soviet excavations, the building was almost completely covered with earth and only the top of the portal was visible, which explains its very good preservation. Today the monument is endangered by the salt rises. Observe the bricks, you will be able to see an important salt deposit. A few kilometers from Navoi airport, the Rabati Malik caravanserai is located along the road to Bukhara, with the ruins of a 16th century caravanserai of which the portal and the foundations remain.