From the Mir-al-Arab Madrasa it’s not a long walk to the Ark – the old walled citadel home to the emir of Bukhara and greatly damaged by Frunze’s army during the Bolshevik invasion. The walls are just as impressive as Khiva’s. Inside, the coronation room and the ancient mosque are among the very few remains of the city.





















In front of the Ark sits Registan Square (Registan is a Tajik work that means “sandy place”), where executions and parades used to be held; across the street the Friday Mosque is a testament of central Asian architecture, with high, wooden pillars that give the building a marked decadent soul. In a park only 10 minutes away behind the mosque lies another great site: the Ismail Samani Mausoleum, built at the beginning of the X century CE. It’s stunning to see how refined the architecture in the region was a millennium ago – and how well preserved all these buildings still are.














Ismail Samani Mausoleum











Bukhara’s most famous and photographed building, though, is the Char Minar, a great example of Tajik architecture. It is not as impressive as other monuments found in the city, but the perfect geometry and unique architecture of the building make it one of the best sights in town.

Bukhara, just like Samarkand, is a city predominantly populated by ethnic Tajiks. The Tajik border is not far away from here, and most of the people naturally speak Tajik (although almost everyone speaks Uzbek and Russian as well). The ethnic diversity of Uzbekistan, albeit not as apparent as Kazakhstan’s, is remarkable. Tajiks are not Turkic people (like the Uzbeks and the Kazakhs); they are Persians, deriving from the same Arian people from which modern-day Iranians and Afghans come from. Uzbeks used to be one and the same with the Kazakhs, people who inhabited the steppe but that at a certain point in history decided to become sedentary. They have marked Central Asian traits, Mongolian-like. Russians, quite pervasive in Kazakhstan, are more limited in number in Uzbekistan and mostly concentrated in Tashkent.

Bukhara (and to a lesser extent Samarkand) used to host a thriving Jewish community as well (almost completely gone these days). These rich trading cities at the center of routes leading from China to India, the Middle East, and Europe offered attractive opportunities for skilled, entrepreneurial Jewish traders, artisans, and jewelers, who gave life to an important community that it’s unfortunately gone. The historic Jewish neighborhoods, though, are still there, with their narrow alleys and cramped buildings. It’s certainly interesting walking around the non-touristic part of Bukhara – you get a real insight into how Uzbek’s neighborhood life looks like.



















Bukhara’s sights are best seen in a couple of day. There is a lot to see, to absorb. Sure, with a good guide and an early rise it’s certainly possible to hit all the major sights in a day; but that would detract from the opportunity of just walking around town, exploring aimlessly this beautiful, ancient city getting lost in space and time. One of the best memories I have of this trip is being sit at a restaurant on the Lyab-I Hauz for dinner having beef shashlik (oh my, the most delicious thing my palate ever tasted!), drinking a good local beer, and enjoying the evening breeze that chilled the summer nights away after the scorching heat of the daytime. The sun, yes: I traveled in the second part of August, when it’s still definitely summer in this part of the World. The sun is strong, but the air is dry, so walking around during the day is actually not as bad as in places like Bangkok or Dallas; just drink plenty of water and you’ll be perfectly fine.

Also, one mention about the food: in Layb-havz there is a good restaurant with al fresco dining, live music, and reasonable prices. There I had shashlik – the most amazing way to grill meat you can imagine. Don’t miss it.






My bill: $20

Also, the best (and possibly only) way to explore many of these cities is on foot. Be sure to bring good hiking shoes with you – that will help you prevent blisters and it will make your trip much easier and more enjoyable.

In Bukhara, I stayed at one of the many charming B&B in town. I opted to stay at Rustam & Zukhra, a clean. centrally-located guesthouse with a very hospitable family, clean rooms, great breakfast, and good atmosphere.

My next stop would be Samarkand. The easiest way to get there is by shared taxi – that will set you up for about $20 per person and the ride won’t be, overall, too uncomfortable.



All in all, Bukhara was an AMAZING place to visit. The shear number of historical buildings (and the excellent state of them) was mind-blowing. You can really breathe history here, just like you could in Rome or Paris. Definitely a place not to miss. And now, on to the next stop!