Chor Minor Madrasah — Attraction in Bukhara City

Chor Minor Madrasa – A Hidden Jewel of Bukhara’s Heritage

Visiting Chor Minor Madrasa in Bukhara felt like discovering a secret treasure tucked away in the heart of history. Unlike the grandiose scale of other madrasas in Uzbekistan, Chor Minor stands out with its unique charm, symmetrical elegance, and deep cultural symbolism.

Built in the early 19th century by a wealthy Turkmen merchant named Khalif Niyazkul, Chor Minor—meaning “Four Minarets”—is a true architectural masterpiece. Each of the four towers has a distinct decorative style, believed to represent different cultures of the time, possibly symbolizing the diversity along the Silk Road. This blend of artistic influences gives the structure a peaceful yet majestic presence.

Though smaller than Samarkand’s Registan or Bukhara’s Kalyan Mosque, Chor Minor speaks volumes through its fine brickwork, vivid blue domes, and intricate details. The design is both functional and symbolic, originally serving as part of a madrasa complex with a prayer hall and student quarters. Today, it remains a proud reminder of the rich educational and spiritual life that once flourished here.

What makes Chor Minor truly special is the fusion of architecture, art, and history in one compact, poetic structure. Surrounded by a quiet neighborhood, it offers visitors a moment of reflection, beauty, and a deep connection to Uzbekistan’s cultural soul.

If you’re exploring Bukhara, don’t miss the chance to see this iconic, story-filled monument—a brilliant blend of artistry...

The structure was built by Khalif Niyaz-kul, a wealthy Bukharan of Turkmen origin in the 19th century under the rule of the Janid dynasty. The four towered structure is sometimes mistaken for a gate to the madras that once existed behind the structure, however, the Char-Minar is actually a complex of buildings with two functions, ritual and shelter. Originally, it was a part of a complex of a madrasa, which was demolished.  The building has no analogs in the architecture of Bukhara, and the inspiration and motives of Niyazkul are unclear.

The main edifice is a mosque. In spite of its unusual outward shape, the building has a typical interior for a Central Asian mosque. Owing to the buildings cupola, the room has good acoustic properties and therefore takes on special significance of 'dhikr-hana' – a place for ritualized 'dhikr' ceremonies of Sufi, the liturgy of which often include recitation, singing, and instrumental music. On either side of the central edifice are located dwelling rooms, some of which have collapsed, leaving only their foundations visible. Consequently, for full functioning of madrasa only of classroom and some utility rooms is lacking. However, it was common practice that so-called madrasahs had no lecture rooms or, even if they had, no lectures had been given in them. These madrasahs were employed as student hospices. The name char minar comes from the four tall structures. The are not minarets but a...

Chor Minor Madrasa.

The Chor Minor (= four towers) Madrasa was built in 1807 at the instigation of a rich Turkmen merchant, a horse and carpet trader Caliph Niyazkul-Beg. According to historical records, after visiting The Taj Mahal in India Caliph Niyazkul-Beg developed a strong desire to build something like this fascinating building.

The Chor-Minor Madrasah was constructed on the Silk Road and had four minarets symbolizing, besides the cardinal points, the Samanids, Shaybanids, Karakhanids and Manghits. Each of the minarets has a unique shape and decoration.

At that time, Bukhara was far from the glory days of the Shaybanid dynasty and the general quality of building construction was quite low. Nevertheless, Qouli managed to create a structure of lasting architectural interest with time-honored design principals. The building features elegant and nontraditional shapes; it is not large and yet looks grand.

The purpose of the building is not entirely clear, but it likely served as the forepart of a spacious madrasa which no longer survives. In this capacity the Chor Minor was simultaneously a monumental gateway, a tall "signpost" advertising the location of the madrasa, and an integral component of the madrasa's curriculum (e.g., the top floor includes a domed chamber that was likely used...