Bukhara

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According to legend, the Khans of BUKHARA were the fiercest, and most lascivious, in the region. Their city was immensely fortified, and although a model of an Islamic city within, the Khans maintained a large and elaborate Harem and pleasure-palace outside the city (which can still be visited today on an excursion).

Bukhara’s Ark remains the archetypal Central Asian fort. With the original battlements and internal structure preserved, it’s possible to stand overlooking the square and imagine how the Khan surveyed his territory from above. Excellent local guides are on-hand to explain the history of the fortress and the museums it now contains.

For aficionados of the "Great Game", Bukhara is infamous for being the scene of a brutal execution. Pawns in a greater diplomatic game, two British officers were publicly beheaded after being imprisoned in the notorious "bug pit" for many months. You can visit the Zindan Jail where they were held and see the pit for yourself!

One of the most impressive sights in Bukhara is the Kalon Minaret. Towering about the city at 48m, this “javelin thrust into the heart of the old town” was used for more than just the call to prayer. Criminals, and (more famously) adulterous women, were tied in sacks and hurled to their deaths from its height, in front of expectant crowds.

After a leisurely day of walking around the old town, you can relax at the Lyab-i-Hauz Pool - not a swimming pool, but a square pond surrounded by ornately decorated madrassah. Traditionally merchants, businessmen,(and anyone else with time to spare!) gather at its famous chaikhanas (teahouses) to set the world to rights.

Bukhara also has a great Bazaar which is well-worth visiting. If you still have time for more sightseeing, we definitely recommend a half-day trip out of town to the see the Harem Of The Bukharan Khans - to see how the Khans lived when out of public view!

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