Uh-mazing Uzbekistan!! (Part 5): Bukhara, a Bubble of History!

- December 28, 2025, Sunday.

- While Uzbekistan is often represented by the iconic Registan in Samarkand, another major Uzbek city that gets its share of the spotlight in terms of history and heritage is Bukhara. It was at some point a capital of some Uzbek states throughout history. 

- My family rode the train from Samarkand to Bukhara; the whole trip was around two hours long. Upon arrival we rode a Yandex car from the train station to Al-Hayat Hotel. I was so happy to have found Al-Hayat Hotel because it was located just behind the center of the historical district. 

- After eating lunch we went to Lyab-i Hauz, the main public square of Bukhara's historical district. A hauz is a multipurpose pool and is common in Persian gardens, squares, or courtyards. The Lyab-i Hauz was built in the 1500s, and is surrounded by significant buildings, mostly mosques and madrasas that have been converted to souvenir centers. These other buildings were mostly built around the same century as well.

Lyab-i Hauz, with the Nadir Divan-Begi Khanaka (a khanaka is a Sufi lodge.) 

Kukaldosh Madrasa.

Kukaldosh Madrasa courtyard.

Nadir Divan-Begi Madrasa. See the simurghs on the iwan. The simurgh is a mythological bird in the Persian world. 

Khodja Nasreddin. He is a famous figure in Central Asia, although people aren't too sure of his existence (probably 1200s). He is often the protagonist in humorous short stories.

Some of the madrasas or former mosques may also have small museums inside them. This one is inside the Nadir Divan-Begi Khanaka.

Restored murqana of the mosque (the honeycomb decorative feature of many Persian architecture works).

- The surroundings of Lyab-i Hauz was enough to overstimulate one with so much history, culture, and colors. For me, one of the more interesting features of the center was the toki/toqi. The toki is a trading dome found at street junctions. The domes often house stalls that sell various food and things. These range from hats, clothes, jewelry, everyday items, you name it. These days, of course, most of them sell souvenirs.

Toki Sarrofon. One of the few trading domes in the center.

Inside Toki Sarrofon.

Other side.

Gaukushon Madrasa, known for its asymmetric look, which is unusual.

With the Khoja Kalon minaret, part of the Gaukushon Ensemble, which also includes the madrasa in the previous photo.

Old bath ruins. Now an open area, and occasionally with children playing.

Toki Telpakfurushon. This one's a larger toki compared to the earlier one.

Inside Toki Telpakfurushon.

An artisan working on a golden plate.

This is the Magoki Attori Mosque, one of the oldest (if not the oldest) mosques in the whole of Central Asia. It was probably built in the 9th to 10th centuries. It isn't a mosque anymore, and instead, is now used as a carpet museum.

There was a local hamam (bathhouse) that welcomes visitors to take a look (without having to disrobe) when they don't have customers. I guess I was lucky since I wanted to personally see what a traditional hamam looks like. 

Another room inside the hamam, this marble slab is where guests are given a traditional bath by the hamam attendant (similar to those done in Turkey.)

Lyab-i Hauz at night.

- I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening walking around to just let the whole vibe of Bukhara sink in. I loved how the Lyab-i Hauz just draws people to the center to give life to the whole square. It was cozy but majestic at the same time, historical but still relevant. I now understand why many tourists in Bukhara fall in love with it.