After visiting Tashkent and Khiva on our trip to Uzbekistan our next stop was Bukhara. We took the evening train from Urgench and reached Bukhara by midnight. We had informed our homestay to send us a car as I was unsure of finding a taxi that late outside the station. The next day we started early and our first stop for the day was the Ark of Bukhara.
How To Reach Bukhara
Bukhara is well connected with all the major cities in Uzbekistan with its rail network. The high-speed rail network (Afrosiyob) connects this city making it ideal if you are looking to reach different destinations quickly but this is slightly more expensive than other regular trains.
Bukhara also has an international airport making it a quick connect destination from Central Asian countries. There are also regular bus services from other major cities to Bukhara. Intercity taxis/private cars also connect Bukhara to nearby cities.
Where To Stay In Bukhara
Bukhara is a big city having various options starting from hostels to homestays to mid-budget hotels and finally big star hotels. I would recommend you stay as close to the Ark of Bukhara as possible since this locality has the maximum number of tourist attractions. You would be able to cover a large number of tourist spots on foot located around this section of the city.
History Of The Ark Of Bukhara
Historians date this place way back to the 2nd to 5th century B.C., and what we now see has been built and rebuilt over the centuries. Archeologists, when excavating this place, found clear evidence that indicates that this place was built atop the remains of another fort. The fort that we now see sits atop a small hill rising to a mere six meters in height. Further, sixteen to twenty meters were elevated to build the fort.
There have been several contenders for the one who built the first fort. Historians link the construction of the fort to either Siyavash, who was a Persian prince, or it might be Afrasiyab, who was his father-in-law.
The structure that we now see is set to have been originally conceived and built by Bindu of Bukhara (Bukhar Khudahs, lord of Bukhara) around the 8th century A.D. This was right before the Muslim conquest of this region.
It is said that there were several attempts to build the fort but after several collapses, the king consulted his council of ministers, who suggested following certain guidelines of astrology. They suggested designing the outline of the fort using seven stone markers so that it resembles the shape of the Great Bear constellation. The king followed their advice and built the fort that had survived for so many centuries.
The fort saw its conquest by Genghis Khan in 1219 when the fort walls were breached and all the people hiding inside were eliminated. The fort suffered heavy damage from this.
In 1920, at the Battle of Bukhara, this fort suffered massive damage from aerial bombardments. The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (Red Army) took over the city of Bukhara from its rulers in a bloody battle that left hundreds of civilians and soldiers dead. Emir Muhammad Alim Khan escaped this carnage by fleeing towards the east.
What To See At The Ark Of Bukhara
This is a ticketed monument, and there is a ticket counter at the entrance. Ticket prices for foreigners are higher, the cost chart at the ticket counter was not in English but the lady at the counter did manage to speak a little English and managed to communicate to us the cost for the ticket.
Jome Mosque
As you enter the first thing that you will see is the Jome (Juma) Mosque which is the main mosque of the Ark. This mosque was built by Subhan Quili Khan who was the ruler of Bukhara and ruled between 1681 to 1702. The mosque was built at the end of his reign in the 18th century. The exterior of the mosque features a gallery on three sides which features beautiful wooden pillars.
The interior section is equally beautifully built with wooden pillars which are beautifully carved. The ceiling features intricate design patterns.
The last major upgrade and restoration was done during the reign of Emir Sayyid Mir Muhammad Alim Khan, who reigned between 1910 to 1920.
Kushbegi (Prime Minister) Court Building
This is the place where visitors used to meet the prime minister, the doors of this place used to remain open during day time and would be closed from midnight until dawn. There were provisions for apprentices to sit on either side, they would be appointed to serve the emir.
Out of the three hundred to four hundred apprentices at any time forty of them would always be available for service. Further down this section, one would find the Embassy meant for Russian dignitaries. This section was originally built by Jonmirzo Kusbegi and was later restored and expanded by Astankul Kushbegi around 1908.
Throne Hall
As the name suggests this is a large open courtyard with the two sides and the front covered. At the front one can see the throne where the ruler sat while his ministers and other dignitaries were seated on either side. The marble throne dates back to 1669 and was made by artisans from Nurota. The treasury is located right below this throne hall.
Greeting Courtyard
This is the place where the commoners and dignitaries would wait to greet the king. Now, a room out here has been converted into a museum that showcases the Ancient History of Bukhara. Another room is located above and features a museum dedicated to the History of the Bukhara Khanate / Emirate can be reached by taking the wooden staircases.
Horse Stable
Being a fort, this place also had a stable that housed around twenty horses. Out of these the Emir personally rode four while another eight were used by him for racing. Other eight horses were used in the transportation of luggage.
Location Of The Ark Of Bukhara On Map
Vlog On Ark Of Bukhara
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