Hazrat Daud Cave

The legendary Hazrat Daud Cave is part of the most visited holy site in the Samarkand region. Legend has it that through this cave the biblical king David (Daud) escaped from the pursuing enemies, pushing aside the rocks with his hands.

Hazrat Daud is considered the patron saint of blacksmiths (according to legend, he shaped iron with his own hands without tools). But thousands of pilgrims come here to touch the handprints of Khoja Daud, imprinted in the walls of the cave, to ask for healing and fulfillment of desires.

The cave is located in the Mirankul Mountains, 40 km from Samarkand. There are many places in the huge garden at the foot of the mountain where thousands of pilgrims prepare their own food and perform sacrifices.

From here, you can climb to the top of the mountain on a donkey or a horse, but most pilgrims overcome the difficult path of 2,000 steps. There is a small mosque at the top of the mountain, where the mullah reads prayers to the faithful. From the mosque, 200 more steps lead up to the cave itself. The cave is a narrow corridor with a width of 0.5 to 4 meters and a length of up to 30 meters. The height of the cave is up to 15 meters. The walls are covered in places with calcite deposits, stalactites.

The cave and the entire Hazrat Daud complex are undoubtedly of great interest to tourists as a very exotic place.

Samarkand paragliders have chosen the top of the mountain. The wind always blows here, creating updrafts favorable for flights.