Sky scraping towers --- Tourist Gems of Uzbekistan

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October, 2002

Sky scraping towers

Minarets are the remarkable articles of the ancient cities architectural ensembles in Uzbekistan creating special beauty and peculiarity thereof.

The word "minaret" (or "minora") means light in the height, the same as lighthouse. Originally, in Muslim countries the huge pillars were destined to call the faithful for prayers. Minarets usually were erected near mosques and madrassahs or they were the parts of the construction. The typical minaret construction for Uzbekistan is round widening towards the ground tower made of bricks and having a steep spiral staircase inside and an arched lantern on top. To build these structures was a matter of great skill. Many factors were to be taken into account: the force of wind and seismic shocks, the soil characteristics…

The great amound of minarets are located in ancient Khiva. The first thing that strikes the one observing the Ichan-Kala panorama from Akshi-bobo bastion is the ensemble of the four main towers of Khiva. The first of them is Juma mosque minaret erected in the centre of the city. The next one was built near the Sayid-bay mosque. The Kuk-minor tower is aligned with them. And Palvan-Kari minaret is behind the latter. One can hardly help admiring these four giants directed to the sky.

Kalta-minor built in 1855 another widely known masterpiece of ancient Khiva. It is distinguished for its dimensions and beauty shining with blue glaze. Designed to become the main and tallest minaret not only in Khiva, but for the whole Central Asia, it was left unfinished being 26 metre high. It was in the middle of the 19th century, that Moukhammad -Amin-khan possessed with vanity decided to build it. A large madrassah was constructed. What for the minaret, it had not been completed before the ruller`s death. So, it was named Kalta-minor which meant Short. Still, being like this the greenish-blue cilinder looks great. The skillfully chosen ornamental finishing makes Kalta-minor look quite completed original architectural masterpiece.

The famous Islam-Hoja minaret is also a matter of pride for Khiva. The huge tower is more then ten metre higher then the world-known Kalyan minaret in Bukhara. Its perimeter is about twelve metre. A steep spiral stircase is inside available for the curious tourists clambering to the top. Thouse who overcome all 175 steps come in view of a thrilling panorama of ancient Khiva from the 56 metre altitude.

The minaret is worth outside study. The wonderful pillar is reveted with annealled and polished bricks and looks light in spite of the size.

For many centuries the great Kalyan minaret rise above both squat houses and multistoried constructions over-whelming them. While approaching Bukhara from Khiva direction, one can see the tower many kilometres before looming among the heated sands disappearing among the hills and showing up again. The predominant city pillar made of annealled bricks gives a complete idea of the shape of the Central Asian minarets: round widening towards the ground tower having the diameter 9 metre at the basis and 6 metre on top. The total height of the Kalyan minaret is 47 metre, its foundation of many metre hidden deep in the ground under the age-old depositions. The 16-arch lantern rotunda hangs over the bole supported the stalactite brickwork.

The same steep staircase leads to the top. The four muezzins used to climb up every Friday in old times to proclaim a holy prayer azan to all four directions of the world. Their drawling voices convoked thousands of muslims to the Bukhara central ensemble composed in the 16th century and consisting of the Kalyan minaret, the mosque with the same name and Miri-Arab madrassash. The remarkable view of Bukhara from the Kalyan top attracts many tourists.

The minaret bole is finished with a splendid relief brick-work pattern devided into ten parallel fragments, each of them is unique. The inscription preserved on one of them indicates the date of the minaret construction 1127 and the architect`s name , Bano. His grave is located among the dwelling houses nearby.

The small town of Vabkent is famous for its luxuriant bazaars and pottery. Here too, approaching the town one can see a tall minaret named the same as the city. Vadkent minaret is one of the refined architectural masterpieces of the 12th century in Uzbekistan. The upward pillar is crowned with a multi-arch lantern with a splendid stalactite eaves. A brick spiral staircase paves the way to this rotunda. The minaret bole is decorated with the belts of figured brick-work, carved terrecotta with epigraphics and geometric ornament divided by the smooth finishing interfaces.

The Vabkent minaret seems looks more slender and light against that of Bukhara. Its brick-work is very refined reminding bows.

The original minarets of ancient Samarkand were mostly constructed to decorate the buildings and make them more magnificent.

The strict silhouettes of the Guri-Amir mausoleum minarets look very bright and festively. The rickety Reghistan towers resemble the upward hand of the madrassah.

Almost all the Samarkand minaret are of the same shape, but the two located in the Bibi-Khanum mosque, which were built by the Azerbaijan architects.

The minaret erected in front of the mosque of Zanghi-Ota ensemble near Tashkent is one of the significant construction masterpieces. Located in the court-yard of the ensemble in the verdure shade, it appears to be a unique construction for the whole Central Asia.

Originaly minarets were subjected to call the faithful for prayers. Eventually, the magnificence thereof have been expanded and their luxurity and height started symbolizing the power of the earth rulers.

No matter how much the modern multi-storyed buildings try to compete with the minarets, the magnificent towers are the leaders of the Uzbekistan ancient cities architecture inspiring and enlightening our souls.

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