Bukhara or " Bukhoro - i - sharif "

- is one of the oldest trade and cultural centers of Central Asia, the place rich in history and architecture. According to a legend Bukhara was found by Siyavush - a Persian Prince. He constructed a citadel after he had married Afrosiab's daughter in Samarkand. But the growth of the city mostly depended on its strategic location. It is situated on the crossroads leading to the main important centers of Asia. The history of this city is very astonishing. The Bukhara oasis of Sogdiana was conquered by Alexander the Great, also it was once ruled by the Kushan empire and later became a part of the Efthalist. When the Arabs arrived they found already prosperous trading center. It was the capital of Samanid State during the 9th -10th centuries. During that period Bukhara - " the Pillar of Islam " became Central Asia's religious and cultural heart, brightened with the Persian love of arts. In 1220 Bukhara was conquered by Genghis Khan. In 1370 the city fell under protection of Timur's Samarkand. In the 16th century Uzbek Shaybanids made it the capital of Bukhara Khanate. The Khanate included most of the present Central Asia and partly Iran and Afghanistan. During that period Bukhara was playing an important role in spreading of the Muslim religion. Many monuments like the madrassahs, khanakas and mosques were created during that period. The Sitorai-Mohi-Khosa - the palace was the summer residence of the last Emir of Buhkara. In the 20th century, the modern city was built close to the ancient one.

In Central Asia this city has always been referred to as " Bukhara - the Noble, the Holy ". The old town with its narrow streets, ancient buildings and dominating massive walls of the Ark fortress still retains the atmosphere of a medieval city. Behind these walls there are elegant mosques and divans. The oldest monument in Bukhara is Ismail Samani mausoleum. The mausoleum is made of burnt bricks, which were laid ornamentally, so that when the light shines on it the ornamentation is never the same. Bukhara with more than 140 architectural monuments is fairly called a " town museum " dating back to the middle ages. More than two millennia later it still attracts a lot of attention.