Tradition says Genghis Khan was so impressed by this tower that he ordered it spared, when almost everything around it was destroyed.
It is the Kalan Minaret, in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. It was built in 1127 under the Karakhanid ruler Arslan Khan, by a master named Bako. It rises about forty six metres in fired brick, in bands of patterns, with a lantern of sixteen open arches at the top.
Beside it stood the city's great Friday mosque. Accounts say the Mongols destroyed it in 1220, and the minaret was left standing.
Is the story of Genghis Khan true? It is repeated in many guides, so it is best treated as tradition.
The mosque was rebuilt in the early sixteenth century under Ubaydullah Khan, and a plaque at its gate gives the year 1514. Its courtyard is ringed by a gallery of 288 domes on 208 columns, according to sources.
In 1935, under Soviet rule, it was used as a granary, and Friday prayers moved to the madrasa across the square. It was restored in 1997, for the 2,500th anniversary of Bukhara, and it is a mosque again today.
UNESCO listed the historic centre of Bukhara, including this complex, in 1993.
The main part of the Kalan Mosque was built in the 12th century during the reign of Arslan Khan, one of the Karakhanid rulers. The construction of the mosque was completed in 1514 during the reign of Shaibani Ubaidullah Khan. During the reign of Ubaidullah Khan, major repairs were carried out in the eastern main facade of the mosque. In 1542, in front of the main gate of the mosque, a marble stone was placed with the text of the decree of Bukhara Khan Abdulaziz Khan to exempt the residents of Bukhara from taxes. This work was done by the calligrapher Mirshaikh al-Pourani. This mosque is located in the Po-i-Kalyan complex. The complex includes Kalyan Minaret, Kalan Mosque, Miri Arab and Amir Olim Khan Madrasah. Kalan Mosque has a front porch decorated with wall arches. Some of the mosque's decorations have been preserved and restored. It was found that there is a decoration made of six-sided plates associated with the name of the master Bayazid Puroni and borders dating back to the 15th century under the cover of the front part of the mosque. At the beginning of the 20th century, on the initiative of Usta Shirin Murodov, an octagonal dome was built according to the old appearance of the mosque. In 1935, the Kalan Mosque was used as a granary and Friday prayers were held at the Miri Arab Madrasah. In 1997, on the occasion of the 2500th anniversary of the city of Bukhara, Kalan Mosque was renovated according to the decree of the first president of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov. Currently, the mosque is operating.
Architecture and design
The mosque has a rectangular layout (127x78 m), a large courtyard is surrounded by a covered porch with domes. 288 domes supported by 208 columns. There are decorated iwans in the four sides of the yard. The outer huge iwan in the east stands out for its majesty and magnificent decoration. There are 7 outer gates of the Kalan Mosque, with wide verandas in front of and inside the main eastern gate.
The History, Architecture and later sections are adapted from the Wikipedia article “Kalan Mosque”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article. Text has been shortened.
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