From Khiva after fraught negotations with the shared taxi mafia - a nightmare journey - with countless police checkpoints, roadblocks and senseless detours it was a relief to arrive at Bukhara, Central Asia's holiest city - The Ark (a royal town within a town) dating from the 5th century is the oldest stucture in the city
The 17th century Juma (Friday) Mosque within The Ark
The Kalon Minaret built in 1127 dominates the Kalon Mosque (right) and the Mir-i-Arab Medressa (left)
Jenghiz Khan and his Mongol Hordes expanding thier great empire westwards captured Bukhara in 1220. Infamous for destroying everything in his army's path 'The Sacker of Cities' spared The Kalon Minaret as it so dumbfounded him.
Regretfully the haunting muezzin (the call to prayer) was outlawed by President Karimov in 1999 as a continued purge on the influence of religion - Perceived infiltration by Islamic extremists from neighbouring Afghanastan providing a convienient excuse
The 16th century Mir-i-Arab Medressa. Audacious and beautiful buildings decorated with tilework of abstract geometric, floral and calligraphic design topped with luminous blue domes are icons of the Islamic World
Tunnel vision! - The Mir-i-Arab Medressa from the entrance to The Kalon Mosque
Mir-i-Arab Medressa - unusually in Uzbekistan a fully working theological school
Entrance portal to The Kalon Mosque
Hushed silence in the sanctuary of The Kalon Mosque - imagine ten thousand crammed in for prayers!
Returning from prayers at an inner sanctuary
The Kalon Minaret from the sanctuary of The Kalon Mosque - the godless Soviets used this as a warehouse and was only opened for worship again in 1991
Ulugbek Medressa (1447)
Restoration of the crumbling 16th century Abdul Aziz Khan Medressa
Chasing the tourist dollar - Uzbek women dance a capitalist jig!
Faizullah Khojaev's house (1881) - Khoyaev plotted with the invading Bolsheviks to dump the last ruling Khan. Rewarded with chairmanship of the Council of People's Commissars of The Uzbek SSR, he received his comeuppance when he was liquidated by Stalin in 1938 and his entire family exiled to a Siberian Gulag
The Winter Guest Room
The Summer Guest Room - Orwell's 'some are more equal than others' springs to mind!
The servants did not do too badly either!
Lost in thought! - The harsh reality of a Bukhara back street
Nadir Divanbegi Medressa - once a Silk Road caravanserai
From Khiva after fraught negotations with the shared taxi mafia - a nightmare journey - with countless police checkpoints, roadblocks and senseless detours it was a relief to arrive at Bukhara, Central Asia's holiest city - The Ark (a royal town within a town) dating from the 5th century is the oldest stucture in the city
The 17th century Juma (Friday) Mosque within The Ark
The Kalon Minaret built in 1127 dominates the Kalon Mosque (right) and the Mir-i-Arab Medressa (left)
Jenghiz Khan and his Mongol Hordes expanding thier great empire westwards captured Bukhara in 1220. Infamous for destroying everything in his army's path 'The Sacker of Cities' spared The Kalon Minaret as it so dumbfounded him.
Regretfully the haunting muezzin (the call to prayer) was outlawed by President Karimov in 1999 as a continued purge on the influence of religion - Perceived infiltration by Islamic extremists from neighbouring Afghanastan providing a convienient excuse
The 16th century Mir-i-Arab Medressa. Audacious and beautiful buildings decorated with tilework of abstract geometric, floral and calligraphic design topped with luminous blue domes are icons of the Islamic World
Tunnel vision! - The Mir-i-Arab Medressa from the entrance to The Kalon Mosque
Mir-i-Arab Medressa - unusually in Uzbekistan a fully working theological school
Entrance portal to The Kalon Mosque
Hushed silence in the sanctuary of The Kalon Mosque - imagine ten thousand crammed in for prayers!
Returning from prayers at an inner sanctuary
The Kalon Minaret from the sanctuary of The Kalon Mosque - the godless Soviets used this as a warehouse and was only opened for worship again in 1991
Ulugbek Medressa (1447)
Restoration of the crumbling 16th century Abdul Aziz Khan Medressa
Chasing the tourist dollar - Uzbek women dance a capitalist jig!
Faizullah Khojaev's house (1881) - Khoyaev plotted with the invading Bolsheviks to dump the last ruling Khan. Rewarded with chairmanship of the Council of People's Commissars of The Uzbek SSR, he received his comeuppance when he was liquidated by Stalin in 1938 and his entire family exiled to a Siberian Gulag
The Winter Guest Room
The Summer Guest Room - Orwell's 'some are more equal than others' springs to mind!
The servants did not do too badly either!
Lost in thought! - The harsh reality of a Bukhara back street
Nadir Divanbegi Medressa - once a Silk Road caravanserai
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