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Bukhara (; Turkish: Buhara; Tajik: Бухоро; , Buxârâ; ; , ), from the Sanskrit Vihara, is the fifth-largest city in Uzbekistan, and capital of the Bukhara Province (viloyat). It has a population of 237,900 (1999 census estimate). Bukhara (along with Samarkand) is one of the two major centres of Uzbekistan's Tajik minority. The city was also known as Bokhara in XIX century English and Buhe/Puhe in Tang Chinese. * Bukhara is also home to a large number of Jews, whose ancestors settled in the city during Roman times. The term 'Bukharan Jew' is frequently used to describe all Jews who come from Central Asia.
History
Introduction
Bukhara has been one of the main centres of Iranian civilization during its history. Its architecture and archaeological sites form one of the pillars of the Persian history and art. The region of Bukhara was for a long period a part of the Persian Empire. The origin of its inhabitants goes back to the period of Aryan immigration into the region. Iranian Soghdians inhabited the area and some centuries later the Persian language became dominant among them. The Last emir of Bukhara was Muhammad Alim Khan (1880-1944). The Trans-Caspian railway was built through the city in the late 19th century. The historic center of Bukhara has been listed by UNESCO as one of the World Heritage Sites. It contains numerous mosques and madrassas.Legends
According to the Iranin epic poem Shahnama the city was founded by King Siavush son of Shah Kavakhous, one of the mythical Iranian Shahs of the Pishdak Dynasty. As the legend goes Siavush was accused of seducing his mother by the Vizers. To test his innocence he underwent trial by fire. After emerging unscathed from the flames he crossed the Oxus into Turan. The king of Samarkand Afrosiab, gave Siavash his daughter Ferganiza and a vassal kingdom in the Bukhara Oasis. Ther he built the Ark, and surrounding city. Some years later Siavash was again accused of seducing his father-in-law's wife. Afrasiab killed Siavash, and buried his head under the Haysellers Gate. In retaliation Shah Kavakhous attacked Turan killed Afrasiab, and took his son and daughter-in-law back to Persia.Origin
The city was founded in 500 BC in the area now called the ark. But the Bukhara oasis had been inhabitated long before that, since 3000 BC an advanced bronze age culture thrived at such sites as Varakhsha, Vardan, Paykend, and Ramitan. In 1500 BC the drying to the climate triggered a population shift to the oasis from outlying areas. In conjunction with this migration Indo-European tribes moved in from the Eurasian steppe. Together they lived in villages along the shores of a dense lake and wetland area in the Zervashan Fan (the Zervanshan River had ceased draining to the Oxus). By 1000 BC both groups had merged into a distinctive culture. Around 800 BC this new culture who called themselves Soghdian flourished in iron-age city-states in the Zaravshan valley. By this time the lake had silted up and three fortified settlements were built atop. By 500 BC these settlements had grown together and were enclosed by a wall, thus Bukhara was born.Pre-Islamic Era
Bukhara was a vassal state in the Persian, Hellenistic, and Kushan Empires. After the fall of the Kushan Emprie, Bukhara passed into the hands of Hua tribes who merged into the native population.Encyclopedia Iranica mentions that the name Bukhara is possibly derived from the Soghdian βuxārak.Encyclopedia Iranica, Columbia University, p.512
Islamic Era
The Arabs invaded in 750 AD, later Bukhrara became the capital of the Samanid Empire.Major Sights
Ismail Samani mausoleum
The Ismail Samani mausoleum (9th-10th century), one of the most esteemed sights of Central Asian architecture, was built in the 9th century (between 892 and 943) as the resting-place of Ismail Samani - the founder of the Samanid dynasty, the last Persian dynasty to rule in Central Asia, which held the city in the 9th and 10th centuries. Although in the first instance the Samanids were Governors of Khorasan and Ma wara'u'n-nahr under the suzerainty of the Abbasid Caliphate, the dynasty soon established virtual independence from Baghdad.
Lyab-i Hauz
The Lyab-i Khauz Ensemble (1568-1622) is the title given to the area surrounding one of the few remaining Hauz or ponds surviving in the city of Bukhara. Until the Soviet period there were many such ponds, which were the city's principal source of water, but they were notorious for spreading disease and were mostly filled in during the 1920s and 30s. The Lyab-i Hauz survived because it is the centrepiece of a magnificent architectural ensemble, created during the 16th and 17th centuries, which has not been significantly changed since. The Lyab-i Hauz ensemble consists of the Kukeldash madrasah (1568-1569) (see picture), the largest in the city, and of two religious edifices built by Nadir Divan-Begi: A Khanaka (1620) (see picture) - a Khanaka is a lodging-house for itinerant Sufis - and a Madrasah (1622) (see picture) that stand at right angles to each other.Po-i Kalyan Complex'''.
The title Po-i-Kalyan (also Poi Kalyan), which means "The foot of the Great", belongs to the architectural complex located at the foot of the great minaret Kalyan.- Kalyan minaret. The minaret made in the form of a circular-pillar brick tower, narrowing upwards, of 9 meters (29.53 feet) diameter at the bottom, 6 meters (19.69 feet) overhead and 45.6 meters (149.61 feet) high.
- Kalyan Mosque (Maedjid-i kalyan), arguably completed in 1514, is equal with Bibi-Khanym Mosque in Samarkand in size. Although they are of the same type of building, they are absolutely different in terms of art of building.
- Mir-i Arab Madrassah. There is little known about the Mir-i Arab Madrasah origin. The construction of Mir-i-Arab Madrasah is ascribed to Sheikh Abdullah Yamani of Yemen, the spiritual mentor of early Shaybanids. He disputably was in charge of donations of Abdullah-khan (1512-1533), devoted to construction of religion edifice.
See also a total list of Bukhara sights.
Transportation
Bukhara in poetry and literature
Being a cultural magnet, Bukhara has long appeared in much local and Persian literature. Many examples can be sought.
ای بخارا شاد باش و دیر زی
Oh Bukhara! Joy to you and live long!
شاه زی تو میهمان آید همی
Your King comes to you in ceremony.
---Rudaki
Dehkhoda for defines the name Bukhara itself as meaning "full of knowledge", referring to the fact that in antiquity, Bukhara was a scientific and scholarship powerhouse. Rumi verifies this when he praises the city as such:
آن بخارا معدن دانش بود
"Bukhara was a mine of knowledge,
پس بخاراییست هرک آنش بود
Of Bukhara is he who possesses knowledge."
Notable People born in Bukhara
External links
References
- Moorcroft, William and Trebeck, George. 1841. Travels in the Himalayan Provinces of Hindustan and the Panjab; in Ladakh and Kashmir, in Peshawar, Kabul, Kunduz, and Bokhara... from 1819 to 1825, Vol. II. Reprint: New Delhi, Sagar Publications, 1971.
Views of Bukhara
Archaeological sites in Iran | Cities along the Silk Road | World Heritage Sites in Uzbekistan | Cities in Uzbekistan
بخارى | Бухара | Bukharà | Bukhara | Buxoro | Bujara | بخارا | Boukhara | 부하라 | Bukhara | בוכרה | Buchara (stad) | ブハラ | Bukhara | Buchara | Bucara | Бухара | Buhara | Buchara | Buhara | Бухара | Buxoro
"Bukhara"