Chor Minor

A small gateway built in 1807 with four blue-domed towers, each one different, tucked into a residential lane southeast of the old town. It is Bukhara's most photogenic “unconventional” building.

Chor Minor (Persian for “four minarets”) is a gateway built in 1807 by Khalif Niyazkul, a wealthy Turkmen merchant, to lead to a madrasa that no longer exists. Only this roughly 6-metre-square structure remains, with a 17-metre-high tower topped by a small blue dome at each corner. The four towers each have different decoration, which some interpret as symbolising four religions or four Sufi teachings. The towers once held storks' nests, and a metal stork ornament still sits on top. The ground floor is a small prayer room, and the upper floor can be climbed for a tip to the attendant (about 10,000 sum). From the terrace you can see the four towers and the low earth-coloured rooftops around them. It lies in a residential lane about 500 metres east of Lyabi-Hauz, southeast of the old town. Signs are scarce, so follow your map through the houses to find it. The surrounding quiet traditional neighbourhood gives a glimpse of daily life in Bukhara. Admission is about 10,000 sum or a voluntary donation. As a 19th-century eclectic building it is not as grand as Kalyan Minaret, but its small size and oddness make it a favourite on postcards and in guidebooks. Allow 20 to 30 minutes. It's a 10-minute walk from Lyabi-Hauz, an easy detour, and the nearby lanes have a few woodcarving and pottery workshops.

Chor Minor

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