Have you ever been to Bukhara?
? Bukhara? has several meanings: In Sanskrit means? Bukhara? (Uzbek? Buxoro?)? monastery ?. Another meaning of the city name is "happy place". The famous Scottish writer Sir Fitzroy Maclean has defined Bukhara as "the most beautiful of the Italian Renaissance".
I only stayed in Bukhara once for 3 days, but so far I have kept this magical city in a beautiful memory. Bukhara is one of the most beautiful and oldest cities on the Silk Road in Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan is located in Central Asia and is an interesting, mysterious land full of myths and stories. Bukhara is one of the pearls and the biggest treasure in the country. Historic center of the city is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the continent of Asia. This unique city was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991.
The trip to Bukhara is not the cheapest, but definitely worth a visit to this Uzbek city. Unforgettable experiences are guaranteed! As Bukhara stays constantly hot in the summer, I would recommend that you visit the city best in autumn (September, October) or spring (April, May).
Reasons Why You Should Visit Bukhara:
1. Bukhara is a unique, architectural city
This beautiful Uzbek city itself looks like a gigantic museum under the open sky: living beauties from the past, such as mausoleums and minarets (towers of a mosque?), Palaces and mosques are still among the grandiose masterpieces of the medieval Middle East. In Bukhara you can visit many very old buildings and monuments. Not far from Registan Square is the Samanid Mausoleum - the world famous building. It was made of brick. The majestic Ark Citadel is located in the northwest of the old town. In the Middle Ages, the citadel served as a complete city with the Khan Palace, its own government institutions and outbuildings, mosques, shops, prisons and more. In the city center, next to the Labi Hovuz building ensemble, is the oldest mosque, Magoki Attori. The Labi Hovuz Ensemble is a complex of water pools with a park around it. The ensemble includes three important monumental structures: the Kukeldash Medrese in the north, the Madrass Nadir Devon Begi in the west, and the Chanaka Devon Begi Madrass in the east. The most important Poji Kalon complex is located southeast of the Ark Citadel and consists of four famous buildings: the Kalon Minaret, the Kalon Mosque, the Emir Alim Khan Medrese and the Mir-i-Arab Madrassah. The most important and holiest pilgrimage sites in Bucharest are the Bachauddin Nakschbandi Ensemble and the mausoleum Tschaschmai Ayjub. The only structure in Bukhara that has remained in memory of the great astronomer Ulug Beg is the Ulug? Bek Madrassah. The other medrales of Bucharas are the Chor-Minor Medrese, the Abdulasiskhan Medrese, the Modari Khan Medrese, the Abdullakhan Medrese and many more. As you can see, there are plenty of sights to see in Bukhara. And what was listed is far from everything that has arisen in this city. The whole architectural heritage of Bukhara is best viewed and enjoyed with your own eyes!
2. Experience an oriental city
Since medieval Bukhara was a major trading city, many wide streets were built in the city center. These streets provided space for markets. The buildings in the trading area were built with complex domes (vaults). You can still find such trading vaults in Bukhara!
In addition to wide streets around the city center, there are many narrow streets and small cozy places. Several modern residences and hotels in the old town are also decorated in a traditional, oriental style. As Bukhara is quite hot, especially in summer, clay buildings are very typical of this city. In almost every house there is a cozy, wooden sunbed waiting for you on the terrace or on the roof. In the evening you can drink warm tea from small Uzbek cups with your friends or relatives on such a wide sunbed, enjoy the sunsets and watch the starry sky.
3. The national kitchen
The most popular Uzbek court is Plov (on usb Palov). This rice dish with meat is very fragrant, refined with various spices and extremely yummy as well as filling! Among other main dishes of Uzbek cuisine, shashlik (meat skewers), manti (dumplings), lagman (noodles), samsa (baked dumplings) are very popular. Vegetable salads and Uzbek bread (patir) from Lehmöfen (Tandir) are offered as an accompaniment to these main dishes. Traditional soups include mastava (with rice, vegetables, meat, sour milk and spices), thick musk-atala soup (with roasted meats, carrots, onions, mung beans and onions), moshkhurda (with mung beans, potatoes, rice, herbs, Onion and cream), cold cholop soup (with sour milk, cucumbers, radishes, herbs) and schurpa (with mutton and various vegetables).Also oriental sweets, such as halva, parvarda (sugar pillows), pashmak (cotton candy) and many jams with fruits and nuts, are very delicious. You can look forward to the wide variety of dishes in Bukhara!
4. In this "happy place"? are the people very hospitable
The buchars are looking forward to all visitors. They are very sociable. They will assist you on your journey: All the people on the street or in the hotel are always helpful and will answer all your questions about the city. In the evening, you can have long and intensive talks with the Bukharans. They like to tell about their lives, are very interested in you and your own life. Often, they invite you to the next day to try something delicious, home-made.
5. In Bukhara you will find special souvenirs and gifts
For women, there are beautiful colorful satin dresses in tunic in Bukhara. These dresses are ornately decorated and elaborately embroidered. Even beautiful, hand-embroidered Susannis (wall cloths) and curtains, pillowcases and bed sheets, shawls, mirror bags and much more can take a woman home as a good memory. Men will find here quilted chapans (coats) or belts decorated with silver or other metal to their outfit. Traditional shoes (mahsi) and headgear (tubetejkas) for men, women and children are also made in a variety of ornaments and variations and embroidered with golden and silver threads. You can bring it as a fancy gift for someone at home. The handmade jewelery, wooden products, alabaster cuts or decorative carpets are so grand in their technique and decoration and can be found in every corner of the Uzbek city.
6. First-class photos for your own photo collection
There are so many fantastic places in Bukhara where the sun rises and sets best! Beautiful sights, smiling people and a warm atmosphere are always offered. All you need is just your camera or phone to capture those photo opportunities!
7. Learn simplicity
The buchars themselves are very simple and therefore sympathetic. Most of them do not have iPads or iPhones. They are not crazy about world-famous fashion brands as they wear their own fashion. Old cars are no surprise on the streets. They do not earn so much and can not afford that much. Everything new, modern comes slower to this city. But they are still happy with their lives and love their city. The Bukharans are much freer to appreciate the time in their lives and not to miss valuable moments. When you see and compare something with your own eyes, you understand that simplicity makes the acceptance of many problems in life much easier!
