Bukhara: Classic Half-Day Tour

A tour of Bukhara begins at the Poi Kalyan Complex, a 16th-century architectural ensemble showcasing the city’s rich cultural and religious heritage, including the 47-meter Kalyan Minaret with its intricate brickwork, the vast Kalyan Mosque with a grand courtyard for thousands of worshippers, and the Mir-i-Arab Madrasa, renowned for its colorful tilework and symmetrical design, which continues to function as an Islamic educational institution. The journey continues to the Ark of Bukhara, a massive fortress and former residence of the ruling emirs, serving as the political and administrative center of the region for over two millennia. Nearby, the Bolo Hauz Mosque captivates visitors with its distinctive architecture and historical significance, named for the large pool in front of the mosque. The tour also includes the Chashma Ayub Mausoleum, linked to the biblical Prophet Job and famed for the sacred spring said to have emerged from his staff, and concludes at the Ismail Samani Mausoleum, one of Central Asia’s best-preserved examples of early Islamic architecture and a masterpiece of the Samanid period.