More information about Sumarkand :

Was probably founded in the 5th Century BC. It was destroyed in 329 BC by Alexander the Great. The city sat on the crossroads leading to China, India and Persia. A thriving city was again obliterated by Chengis Khan in 1220. Timor, in 1370 decided to make Samarkand his capital and over the next 35 years forged a new, almost a mythical city and Central Asia’s economic and cultural epicentre. His grandson Ulugbek ruled until 1449 and made it an intellectual centre as well.
Samarkand has suffered some major earthquakes in the past. Russia’s power and influence started from 1868.

Gardened Guest house we are staying in is pretty cute and right next to the Amir Temur Mausoleum. Breakfast as you can see below, had a local home made touch -

25th day Tues 6th May 2014

Uneventful 4 and a half hour journey except for another police check point stoppage ,all be it a minor one – Passports please!!

Initial thoughts as we entered and drove through Sumarkand,was that this too was a lovely ,clean and pleasant city.I should not be surprised any more ,but still am about how well developed some of the cities we have travelled through really are.Guilty of possibly making some incorrect assumptions!

Photos of the city roads,hotel gardens ( still averaging £20 / head hotel accommodation costs per person per night! Curtesy of booking .com and recommendation from Lonely Planet Guide – Airb&b initially)

Photos of The Amir Temur Mausoleum ,Kids playing in the vast open space,a little bit of the night and restaurant .Finally me learning to count the local currency ,which is approx 4,000 Som to the pound – so you are always having to carry wads around with you!

Manvir – completing a foreign exchange trade ,the best rates in town can only be found in a local carpet shop!!

Outside the Ark – The Square or Registan
Where the beheading of two British officers took place in 1842 – Prior to their execution ,they had to dig their own graves!!

THE ARK : A royal town within a town,is Bukhara’s oldest structure,occupied from 5th century right up until 1920,when it was bombed by the Red Army.
Outside ,in from of the fortress,is medieval Bukhara’s main square ,the REGISTAN,a favourite venue for executions,including those of the British officers Stoddart and Conolly ,both of whom were beheaded in the square in 1842

Miri Arab Madrasah

Kaylan Minaret

Not a driving day today. Walked around Bukhara absorbing all the sights before it got,just too hot – 36*C ! It certainly has a long and interesting history.

Bukhara – The Holy City

The name of Bukhara,originates from the word “vihara”‘ which means “monastery” in Sanskrit. Bukhara lies west of Samarkand and was once a center of learning renowned throughout the Islamic world,particularly in the development of Sufi approach to philosophy,religion and Islam .

Bukhara is an Ancient settlement with a history that goes back to the early centuries A.D.The 4th c BC conquest by Alexander the Great

In 1220 Bukhara was conquered by Mongols of Genghis- Khan ,this brought to an end a period of great economic growth

Bukhara and Khiva were always in conflict and both developed individually because of their rivalry

The Kalyan minaret,was built in 1127,it is 9 meters in diameter at the base ,with a height of 46 meters.It has stood for 800 hundred years now without once needing repairs. Criminals were reputed to be thrown from the tower!!
On the left hand side of the square where the Kalyan minaret stands,the MIRI- ARAB MADRASAH,was built in 1535-1536.

THE ARK : A royal town within a town,is Bukhara’s oldest structure,occupied from 5th century right up until 1920,when it was bombed by the Red Army.
Outside ,in from of the fortress,is medieval Bukhara’s main square ,the REGISTAN,a favourite venue for executions,including those of the British officers Stoddart and Conolly ,both of whom were beheaded in the square in 1842

In the 16th century ,Bukhara became the capital of a large Central Asian State
From 1924 Bukhara was part of Soviet Uzbekistan.
Bukhara is approaching the age of 2500