Kalyan Minaret

Another architectural symbol of Bukhara is the Kalyan Minaret. It was built at the beginning of the 12th century and is a tall tower of burnt brick 47 meters high. Its foundation goes down 10 meters.

The minaret has 12 ornamental belts, each with its own unique pattern, 16 arched openings, and it is decorated with stalactites on top. The minaret has preserved 3 belts on which there are inscriptions: the date of construction - 1127, the name of the donor - the ruler of Bukhara Arslankhan and the name of the builder - ust Barno.

This vertical line is visible from anywhere in the city, which is inseparable from the complex silhouette of the city with its ridge of portals, towers and domes.

The main purpose of the minaret is to call Bukharians to prayer. But its impressive height began to serve many other purposes. For example, he was a lighthouse in the sandy sea of the desert for lost caravans. From here, there was a beautiful panorama of the area, which made it possible to calculate the enemy long before he approached the city.

Local legend has it that when the great Genghis Khan, after destroying half of the city, entered the square near this tower and looked up at the minaret, his helmet fell from his head. He had to bend down to pick it up from the ground. "I have never bowed to anyone," said the powerful warrior. "But this building is so grand that it deserves a bow." So this magnificent tower has survived, and now tourists are making their way up the 105 internal steps to enjoy the view of modern Bukhara.