Heritage with Related Tags
Gonbad-e Qābus
Built in 1006 AD as the tomb of Qaboos ibn Washemjir, a Ziyarid ruler and man of letters, this 53-meter-high mausoleum is located near the site of the ancient city of Jorghan in northeastern Iran and bears witness to cultural exchange between the nomadic peoples of Central Asia and the ancient civilization of Iran. The tower is the only remaining evidence of Jorghan, a former center of art and science that was destroyed during the Mongol invasions of the 14th and 15th centuries. It is an outstanding, technically innovative example of Islamic architecture that influenced religious architecture in Iran, Anatolia, and Central Asia. Built of unglazed fired bricks, the monument’s complex geometry forms a tapered cylinder 17-15.5 meters in diameter, topped by a conical brick roof. It illustrates the development of mathematics and science in the Muslim world at the turn of the first millennium AD.
Itchan Kala
Ichan Kala is the inner city of the old Khiva oasis (protected by a brick wall about 10 meters high), and was the last resting place for caravans before crossing the desert to Iran. Although few very ancient remains now remain, it is a coherent and well-preserved Central Asian Muslim architecture in a unique style. There are several outstanding buildings here, such as the Juma Mosque, mausoleums and madrasas, as well as two magnificent palaces built by the Alaquli Khan in the early 19th century.
Historic Centre of Bukhara
Bukhara is located on the Silk Road and has a history of more than 2,000 years. It is the best-preserved medieval city in Central Asia, with the urban structure largely intact. Monuments of particular interest include the famous Tomb of Ismail Samani, a masterpiece of 10th-century Muslim architecture, and a large number of 17th-century madrasas.