Western passage of Taq-i Telpaq Furushon opens to the street Mekhtar Ambar. A little in front on the left, stands out the Kurpa Mosque in its unrenewed grace. The Kurpa Mosque is situated in the residential quarter, formerly called "Magoki Kurpa", i.e." Hollow of blanket(s' bazaar)". The two-storied structure of the Kurpa Mosque has a quite typical design. However the mosque has one peculiarity. The lower floor, made for a cold spell in winter, is semi-basement. At first sight, an entrance to the lower floor does not give an intimation that it leads to a roomy premise of cathedral mosque. It is exactly what the mosque initially was assigned to be. Until the Khoja Kalon Mosque was put into operation, the Kurpa mosque used to be a central cathedral mosque, no matter how small it was. The Kurpa Mosque had tahorathona - a place for partial ablution, which, according to sharia law, should precede each prayer. The mosque was built before 1598 on initiative of Khoja Sa'ad - called "Khoja Kalon" - "Great Khoja", the son of Khoja Islam. In 1598 Khoja Sa'ad built new cathedral mosque, named "Khoja Mosque" or "Khoja Kalon Mosque", with tall minaret close to the Gaukushan Madrasah.
Rating: 365
On the roadside in the Malik Steppe, one can see the portal of the 12th century, which leads to the ruins of the fortress Rabat-i-Malik -"Prince's rabat". The word "rabat" means "castle", or "fortress". It refers to the fortified settlements and places of rest along caravan routes. During the heyday of the Silk Road, travelers and merchants gathered within the walls of this fortress on the road from Samarkand to Bukhara. The remainders of finishing - carved stucco, figured ornamental brickwork and unglazed carved ceramics - give food for reflection about the lost beauty.
Rating: 362
Before the Arab conquest there was a bazaar close by the site of the Magak-i Attari Mosque (Magoki Attoron Mosque), i.e. the "Mosque in pit". It was a market for idols, potions and spices - attar (perfumes). Besides this, there, was formerly a Temple of the moon (Mokh) at this place. Abu Bakr Muhammad ibn al-Narshakhi of Bukhara, who had completed his book in 943 A.D. (A.H. 332), mentions the mosque, which was built on the site of former Mokh Temple. He used the name "magok", i.e. "in a pit", because even then half of it was concealed from view by the rising soil level. Hence, the mosque, perhaps, is one of the earliest religious buildings of Islamic era in Bukhara. Choice of place for the mosque also proves this assumption, because Arab conquerors built their sanctuaries first of all at the places of prostrated cults. In Bukhara, it had taken place at least once more; the very first cathedral mosque was built at the place of destroyed temple of fire-worshippers. There is opinion that the Kalyan Mosque was afterwards built exactly at that place.
Rating: 361




