Samanid Mausoleum is the pearl of Central Asian architecture. The attraction was built between approximately 892 and 943 years. It is considered the oldest monument of Islamic architecture in Central Asia. In addition, this is the only surviving architectural object of the reign of the Samanid dynasty. The significance of the design becomes even greater, given the fact that Islam forbids the construction of indoor mausoleums. Thus, in the case of the Samanid Mausoleum, it is possible that this is the earliest violation of this rule, and therefore the first mausoleum of such a plan in the history of Islamic architecture. All this makes the attraction extremely popular among tourists who regularly come to Bukhara to contemplate it.
Monument Location
Samanid Mausoleum is located in Bukhara, in its historical center. It was located in a park, which was pitched in the territory of an old cemetery. A few years ago it was impossible to consider because of the layers, the thickness of which reached two meters. But today all this is in the past: the monument is freed from this garbage and is available for all to see.
The Mausoleum of Samanids (Uzbekistan) remained in disrepair until 1920. It was then exploited solely for religious purposes. The attraction was cleared of graves and restored in 1934.
The likeness of the universe
The Mausoleum of Samanids (Bukhara) is the best and most unusual monument in its historical and architectural significance and artistic advantages. It marks the birth of a new style in the architecture of an old cultural oasis, which was revived after the attack of the Arabs. The main form of the majestic buildings and their construction was created here on the basis of the traditions of Central Asian architecture - a cube that overlaps the dome at the level of eight arches. The forms of the buildings themselves find their mythological meaning in symbolism: a cube is a stable form, a symbol of the Earth; The dome imitates the firmament. And their interweaving is a likeness of the Universe. Thus, the structure, like the city, was a model of the universe.
The appearance of the sights
Samanid Mausoleum has the shape of a square, the side of which reaches ten meters. It is built of burnt bricks. Each of the four sides of the structure is open for inspection. Along all the peaks are three-quarter columns. There are no decorative supports on them, and there are also no capitals - heads. A filigree arcade, on each side of which there are ten arches, lies on the columns. The corners of the shelter have small domes. They are slightly shifted to the middle of the axis of the columns. In the center of the roof is the main dome with a small lantern.
The mausoleum of the Samanids (Bukhara) has, as mentioned above, four sides, each of which has rectangular doors. They are mounted in a complex frame. The doorway has a decorative external frame, which first goes into a large, and then into a small arch keeled shape. Terracotta architectural elements decorated the frames of the entrances. Brick masonry decorates the rest of the building.
Inside, the Mausoleum has an octagonal shape, which is given to it by four corner arches.
Mean story
Samanid Mausoleum is such an ancient attraction that almost no historical data has been preserved about it. We also only have to guess about the history of the creation of the object and rely in its opinion on legends and traditions. According to one version, the Mausoleum was built by the founder of the dynasty, Ismail Samani, for his father. A little later, the object turned into the family tomb of the Samanids. It is assumed that Ismail himself, who died in 907, is also buried here. Also, his grandson Nasr II ibn Ahmad, who died in 943, found his last refuge here. The name of this particular person was found on a wooden board located above the entrance.
The tomb of the Samanids is covered with another most interesting legend, which is slightly different from the officially approved Islamic version. So, the legend says that after the Arabs conquered Bukhara, they destroyed all the Zoroastrian temples. Only the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Moon managed to survive. It is believed that the Temple of the Moon was reorganized into the mosque of Magoki-Atari. The Temple of the Sun also became the Mausoleum of the Samanids.
Hazrati Imam Complex
The tomb of the Samanids is not the only monument for which Uzbekistan is famous . There are other attractions here. For example, in Tashkent there is a magnificent Hazrati Imam complex - an area on which several monuments of spiritual Uzbek culture are located. The central place here is reserved for the mausoleum of the same name, in which the body of the famous philosopher and scientist Kaffal al-Shashi rests. The mausoleum was built in 1541. The structure is cruciform. The internal and external walls of the object are decorated with majolica tiles and stone carvings.
The Hazrati Imam also owns the Islamic Institute and the Juma Mosque. These buildings are elegantly decorated in a national manner.
Modern sights of Tashkent
Uzbekistan also has modern facilities. Sights of this kind can be found in all the same Tashkent. So, here you can visit the "Aqualand" - a water park that is built in the center of the Uzbek capital. Since the climate in this part of the country is too arid and hot, the object is unusually in demand both among the residents of the city and among its guests. In Aqualand, visitors can enjoy five ordinary pools, one wave, high slides of various modifications, a jacuzzi and a popular descent called Kamikaze.
Also in Tashkent you can visit the museum of Amir Timur, which was opened in 1996. The institution has the opportunity to get acquainted with the history of the country through the prism of the history of the Timurid dynasty, which are the descendants of the powerful Tamerlane. The museum has approximately three thousand exhibits that tell about the life and exploits of this famous hero.
Afterword
Uzbekistan is rich in many attractions. But the most popular and famous among them is, of course, the Mausoleum of the Samanids, the description of which is given above. This is an object that has come to us through the centuries from a distant, distant past. It delights with its splendor and strikes with monumentality. Uzbeks cherish it and bow to it to some extent.
The mausoleum embodies the beauty of eastern greatness and Muslim culture. It is one of those attractions for which it is worth visiting a country such as Uzbekistan.