Witnessing Islam at the Kalon Mosque in Bukhara

The Kalon ensemble of architecture is a key site to visit in Bukhara. In this part of Old Bukhara you will come across the Kalon Mosque, the Kalon Minar and the Mir-I Arab Madrassa. Meaning the “Great Mosque,” Kalon Mosque was built in 1514 after the golden era of Amir Timur’s reign. Built on the former foundation of an 8th century mosque, which was wholly destroyed when Genghis Khan raided Bukhara (more below on Genghis Khan), this mosque had grand visions for its religious role in Bukhara. It is the biggest mosque in Bukhara and can host over 10,000 worshippers during the Ramadan. When it was built, the city of Bukhara had about 10,000 males in its population. There are a total of 208 columns, 288 domes and 28 arches in the courtyard. The sight is stately there. By this hour of the morning, the sun has blessed us with generous daylight. We savored the elegant views at the heart of sacredness in Bukhara. At the far end, the blue dome called Kok Gumbaz sits above an unusual octagonal structure “designed to improve the building’s acoustics, amplifying the voice of the imam as he speaks his Friday sermon.” Meaning the “Great Minaret,” the Kalon Minar was built in 1127. At the time, it was thought to be the tallest free standing tower in the world. When Genghis Khan came in the early 13th century, he was very impressed by the tower, spared it but destroyed everything else besides it and all else in Bukhara too. Over the centuries, earthquakes have destroyed some parts of the tower, especially in the top. It is said that the Uzbeks used to throw prisoners tied in sacks from the top of this tower as punishment, and the practice continued for centuries. Access to the long stairs inside the tower is no longer allowed for common tourists. Mir Arab, meaning “Arab Emir,” was born in Yemen. He abandoned his throne when he was 22 years old, and turned to serious studies of science and education in Samarkand. He then met the emir of Bukhara, and became the mentor for many scientists in this city full of intellectual heritage. Construction for the Mir-I Arab Madrassa began in 1530 and completed in 1536, but after Mir Arab has died. “With the exception of a 21 year period of closure from 1925-1946, the madrassa has remained fully functional, including throughout the Soviet period” (Bradt 239) and continuing to this day in fact. The 120 students here attend a demanding four-year program in Arabic and Qu’ranic studies, as the beginning of their journey to becoming imams. There are also general subjects for study. Over this long history of education provision, the Mir-I Arab Madrassa has trained both historic and contemporary Islamic scientists. The Kalon Mosque ensemble is lit in the evening and makes fantastic night photographs. #uzbekistan #centralasia #uzbekhistory #uzbekarchitecture #kalonmosque #bukhara #mosque #islam