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The madrassas and mosques in the Historic Centre of Bukhara are impressive. They provide a sense of what the days of the Silk Road were like.
The UNESCO World Heritage List includes more than a thousand properties with outstanding universal value. They are all part of the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
Official facts
- Full name of site: Historic Centre of Bukhara
- Country: Uzbekistan
- Date of Inscription: 1993
- Category: Cultural site
UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre’s short description of site no. 0602:
Bukhara, which is situated on the Silk Route, is more than 2,000 years old. It is the most complete example of a medieval city in Central Asia, with an urban fabric that has remained largely intact. Monuments of particular interest include the famous tomb of Ismail Samani, a masterpiece of 10th-century Muslim architecture, and a large number of 17th-century madrasas.
My visit
On a 2014 road trip to several of the ancient Silk Road cities, I found Bukhara to be a definite highlight. One can only imagine how it would be like to enter the city in the days of camel caravans. A huge fortress, grand madrassas and mosques, and vibrant markets throughout the city.
The city has retained much of that atmosphere and makes for a splendid couple of days before venturing to other cities on the famous Silk Road.
In my travelogue I write this: The oases on the Silk Road were prosperous. Bukhara was one of them, a fortified city, rich on the lucrative trade routes between China and Europe. Here the Emir’s word was the law, his castle was his home, and his concubines were aplenty.
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