Things to see and do Khortang

The mausoleum of Al-Boukhari is one of Islam's high places of pilgrimage. Born in 810 in Bukhara, Abu Abdullah Mahamed-ibn Ismail Imam al-Bukhari is one of the most revered saints of Uzbekistan. During a long journey of more than 15 years, on his return from the great pilgrimage to Mecca, he collected more than 600,000 words of the Prophet, the Hadith, from all over the Muslim world. Today, pilgrims are once again freely crowding around his grave. The mausoleum with the blue dome was completely rebuilt in 1998. It is now surrounded by a huge inner courtyard lined with iwan. The pond and the century-old trees surrounding it are all that remains of the old site. President Islam Karimov took the decision to raze everything else, including the old tomb, in order to make the mausoleum a new Mecca. The work was financed by Saudi Arabia. The best craftsmen in the country have participated in this rebirth. Particularly noteworthy are the different carved wooden doors, as well as the gold and majolica decorations in the mausoleum, which bear witness to the talent of contemporary craftsmen. Nevertheless, the monument swears a little by its modernity and visitors may find it difficult, if pilgrims are not present, to feel the same religious fervour as in the other monuments of the country. In any case, proper attire, head covered for women, is required to enter the complex and visit its different parts.