Bukhara Region

Overview

Bukhara sits in the lower Zarafshan valley, where irrigated fields give way to the Kyzylkum desert. The old city kept much of its street plan and low skyline, so mosques, madrasas, covered bazaars and courtyard houses still stand close together and can be reached on foot.

Most visitors spend two or three days in the centre, between Lyabi-Hauz, the Kalyan minaret and the Ark, then add half-day trips to the emir's summer palace, the Bahouddin Naqshband shrine, Chor-Bakr and the craft town of Gijduvan.

History

Bukhara was the capital of the Samanid state in the 9th and 10th centuries, when it was a centre of Persian-language learning; the physician Ibn Sina grew up nearby, and the hadith scholar al-Bukhari took his name from the city. The Mongols took and burned it in 1220, and it recovered slowly over the following centuries.

Under the Shaybanids in the 16th century Bukhara became a capital again, and many of the madrasas and trading domes seen today date from that period. From 1785 the Manghit dynasty ruled the Emirate of Bukhara, which became a Russian protectorate in 1868.

In 1920 the Red Army took the city and the last emir fled; the Bukharan People's Soviet Republic lasted until 1924, when the area was divided among the new Soviet republics. The historic centre was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993.

Getting there

Bukhara has an international airport a short drive east of the old city, with domestic flights from Tashkent and some international routes.

The Afrosiyob high-speed train runs from Tashkent through Samarkand and Navoi to Bukhara, and slower regular trains use the same line. Bukhara's railway station is in the town of Kagan, about a 20-minute taxi ride from the old city, so allow time for the transfer.

Shared taxis and private drivers connect Bukhara with Samarkand and Khiva by road; the drive to Khiva crosses a long stretch of desert.

Getting around

The old city is compact and largely pedestrian, and walking is the easiest way to see it. Most guesthouses near Lyabi-Hauz are within a few minutes of the main sights.

For the airport, the station at Kagan and sights outside the centre, use Yandex Go or a taxi arranged by your guesthouse. For a day covering the summer palace, the Naqshband shrine and Chor-Bakr, hiring a driver for the day saves time.

When to go

Spring, from April to early June, and autumn, from September to October, are the most comfortable seasons, with warm days and cool evenings. The Silk and Spices festival usually takes place in late spring.

Summer is hot and dry, so plan walks for the early morning and evening and rest in the middle of the day. Winter is quiet and can be cold, but the old city is calm and rooms are easier to find.

Food

Bukhara has its own versions of the national dishes. Look for oshi sofi, a local plov, and for samsa and meat baked in tandoor ovens, often sold from small bakeries in the morning.

Tea houses around Lyabi-Hauz serve green tea, bread and simple dishes in the shade of old trees, and courtyard restaurants in the old city often have set menus for dinner. Dried fruit, nuts and local sweets are sold in the trading domes and at the city bazaar.

Crafts

Bukhara is known for zardozi, embroidery with gold thread, and for suzani, embroidered textiles used as wall hangings and covers. Workshops in the old city and the trading domes often let you watch the work before you buy.

Gijduvan, north-east of the city, has a long tradition of glazed ceramics in brown, yellow and green tones, and family workshops there welcome visitors. Carpets, knives, metalwork and miniature painting are also made and sold in the old city, and Nurata in the neighbouring region is known for its own suzani.

Good to know

Many of the larger monuments charge a separate entrance fee, and some ask an extra fee for photography; carry small notes. Several madrasas have shops in their courtyard cells, which is normal and does not mean the building is closed to visitors.

Mosques and shrines that are in active use, such as the Bahouddin Naqshband complex, expect covered shoulders and knees; women may want a scarf. Ask before photographing people, and check that a guesthouse taxi to the Kagan station is booked in advance if your train leaves early.