Buchara Samani Mausoleum. Travel to Uzbekistan

The picturesque mausoleum was built at the turn of the 9th-10th centuries and is considered one of the gems of world architecture. Bukhara builders managed to achieve harmonious architectonics and create a magnificent building decor from brick patterns.

The Samanid dynasty achieved independence from Baghdad and began to rule in Central Asia in the second half of the 9th century. The state created by her attained power under Ismail Samani. By his order in 892 the construction of the mausoleum began. It is known that the construction of the tomb lasted until 943 years. Inside the mausoleum of the Samanids there are three graves. Perhaps Ismail Samani himself, his son Ahmad ibn Ismail and father Ahmad ibn Asad are buried here.

Samanids Mausoleum built in the form of a cube and covered with a hemispherical dome. These simple and harmonious forms were defined by the canons of Islam, which are rooted in a more ancient pre-Islamic culture. Previously, the cube was considered a symbol of stability and represented the Earth. The rounded dome symbolized the firmament. The combination of a cube and a hemisphere meant the harmony and unity of the Universe, so the builders perceived the mausoleum as an ideal model of the world order. A gallery with small pointed windows is laid along the top of the building, and its corners frame three-quarter columns. The walls of the tomb are up to two meters thick. Such solid walls allowed the Samanids' mausoleum to survive more than ten centuries.

Samanid Mausoleum has an amazing story. After construction, a new cemetery was formed around it - Naukanda, and he himself eventually became a cult object. It is believed that the mausoleum was built on the site of the ancient Zoroastrian temple of the Sun. However, there is no information confirming or disproving this legend. There is another unverified story that when Genghis Khan was going to Bukhara in March 1220, the residents of the city, while rescuing, were bombarded with sand by the mausoleum.

As a result, he looked like a dune. As it is not surprising, he really did not suffer during the looting and destruction of Bukhara by the army of Genghis Khan. Time has not saved any data on the names of talented architects and builders of works of high art. Due to the early construction time, the building of the mausoleum violates some Muslim standards of architecture.

The cubic tomb has a covered structure, although such buildings in Islam are prohibited. In addition, the design of the building shows features typical of Zoroastrian sanctuaries. Samanids Mausoleum is considered one of the most ancient monuments of Islamic architecture in Central Asia. This tomb laid a new architectural style, which later became widespread in the religious buildings of the region.

Nowadays this openwork tomb stands in a green park Samanids, which was created at the territory of an ancient Muslim cemetery. This place is very popular among the residents of Bukhara. On the territory of the park there are ponds and attractions, mass holidays and colorful festivals are held here. Outside the Samanids Mausoleum can be viewed at any time of the day, and tourists enter it daily from 8.00 to 17.00. It should be borne in mind that the entrance to the tomb and photography inside paid.

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