City guide · Buxoro
Bukhara
Holy Bukhara: the Kalyan Minaret and the emir's fortress
Bukhara's old city is like a living museum, inhabited for more than two thousand years. The Kalyan Minaret dominates its skyline, the Ark is the rulers' old palace, and the teahouses by the pool are where locals spend their evenings.
History
How the city came to be
Like Samarkand, Bukhara's position on the Silk Road made it one of the richest cities of Transoxiana, and in the Islamic Golden Age it was a great centre of Islamic learning. The Samanids and later the Karakhanids left buildings here; in 1127 the Karakhanid ruler Arslan Khan built the Kalyan Minaret. Bukhara was devastated by the Mongol invasion in the 13th century and recovered under the Timurids. In the 16th century it became capital of the Uzbek Khanate of Bukhara; in 1920 the Ark was badly damaged in fighting.
- 10th centuryA centre of learning under the Samanids
- 1127The Kalyan Minaret was built
- 13th centuryMongol armies captured Bukhara
- 16th centuryBecame capital of the Emirate of Bukhara
- 1920The Ark fortress was damaged in fighting
Stories
Stories of the city
Legend · Po-i-Kalyan complex, Bukhara
The minaret that made Genghis Khan bow his head
The Kalyan Minaret was completed in 1127 by the Karakhanid ruler Arslan Khan. Legend says that about a century later, when Genghis Khan took Bukhara, he was so struck by the tower's grandeur that he ordered it alone spared amid the destruction all around. The tower also has an unsettling nickname, the 'Tower of Death' — until the early 20th century criminals were executed by being thrown from the top.
Before you go
Rules to know in Bukhara
Uzbekistan: change money only at official outlets
- Change money at official exchange points, and get cash in big cities before heading to smaller places
- Changing money on the black market
Black-market currency exchange is illegal.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Uzbekistan travel advice
Uzbekistan: always carry your passport
- Carry your original passport at all times
- Leaving your passport at the hotel
The law requires you to carry it; police check often, and you may be fined or arrested if you don't.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Uzbekistan travel advice
Uzbekistan: check before you take photos
- Ask before taking photos near airports, border posts, military bases, bridges, police stations and metro stations
- Photographing government buildings
It may annoy the authorities; posting content on social media that disrespects the flag, food or customs can lead to fines or detention.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Uzbekistan travel advice