Bolo Haouz mosque

Bolo Haouz mosque — photo 1

Once the Bolo Haouz mosque, which at the beginning of the 18th century had risen up from the Registan Square into the turquoise sky of beautiful Bukhara by the order of the Ashtarkhanid ruler of the city Sukhan Kuli Khan, saw its reflection in transparent waters of the water reservoir located next to it. Then it froze motionless looking at its beautiful image visible on water surface as if in a mirror.

The people living on this land have given this architectural masterpiece a second name — Chil Sutun, which means “The Forty Column Mosque”. Travelers from around the globe who visit the attractions of the Pearl of the Orient spend a lot of time standing next to this architectural monument and trying to solve the mystery of its second name. The solution is much simpler than it may seem — 20 columns of the Friday Mosque, 11 meters in height, are reflected in the reservoir, and therefore it seems that there are twice as many of them.

These columns made by the best craftsmen of the past centuries from the elm tree common in the region remain a true jewel of the main entrance of Bolo Haouz and the iwan located there. Its traditional wooden ceiling supported by delicately shaped columns is covered with wonderfully carved flowers and geometric patterns, where every curl preserves the wisdom of the people, its wants and needs, as well as its belief in the better future. Just like the centuries ago, three sides of the iwan compose the summer mosque surrounding the entrance to the winter mosque from the three sides.

Bolo Haouz mosque — photo 2

Long time ago, both emirs, the rulers of the land, and ordinary inhabitants of that blesses place offered their prayers to the Almighty God there. Dervishes, Muslim preachers, who wandered around the world in search of the truth, could find shelter and rest in that sacred place. They stayed at a two-story building constructed on the territory of the mosque and called a dervish lodge.

The guests of magic Bukhara still cannot take their eyes off the minaret located on the territory of Bolo Haouz — this is another monument of the past centuries whose history is inextricably connected with the history of this fabulously beautiful place. Two centuries ago, a muezzin called righteous Muslims to prayer from its height. The minaret, whose name means a “candle” in Farsi, lit not only the spiritual path of those who offered prayers there; in the sea of hot sand of Bukhata it literally was a beacon for visitors.

The team of Canaan Travel is ready to become a guide for residents and guests of Uzbekistan, lead them into the world of beautiful architectural monuments of ancient Bukhara and shed light on the history of true architectural gems, one of which is the Bolo Haouz complex.

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