Naqshbandi Order Museum📜 History & Heritage

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2/27/2026

Naqshbandi Order Museum

The Naqshbandi Order Museum is an important cultural and spiritual site connected with the life of the famous saint and Sufi master Bahouddin Naqshband and the history of the Naqshbandi order.

The museum is located at the sacred pilgrimage site associated with Bahouddin Naqshband, within the ancient mausoleum complex near Bukhara. He was the founder of the Naqshbandi order and is highly revered throughout the Islamic world.

The museum presents information about his life, teachings, the principles of the order, the spiritual chain of disciples (silsila), and other prominent Naqshbandi sheikhs. Manuscripts, old prayer beads, religious literature, and various exhibits related to the order are displayed there.

The complex includes a mausoleum, pilgrimage site, mosque, courtyard with an ayvan, and an ancient sardoba (water reservoir). This place is significant not only as a historical monument but also as a sacred pilgrimage destination.

Address: Bukhara city, Qasri Orifon village.

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Kuhna Ark Palace

📜 History & Heritage

Kuhna Ark Palace

Kuhna Ark Palace

Kuhna Ark Palace is the ancient citadel of Khiva and one of the khan’s residences located within Ichan-Qala. The history of the fortress is closely connected with the history of the city of Khiva itself. Some historical sources indicate that the construction of the fortress and the city began at the same time. However, today only several buildings dating back to the 19th century have been preserved within the Ark territory.

The Ark once housed the residences of the khan and officials, as well as state institutions. It also included a reception hall (Salomkhona, Arzkhona), a mint, summer and winter mosques, a harem, an arsenal, a gunpowder workshop, storehouses, a kitchen, stables, a prison, and even a special arena for ram fighting.

The term “Kuhna Ark” (Old Fortress) began to be used after another palace, Tosh-Hovli, was built in the city between 1832 and 1838. In its structure and layout, the Ark resembles a city within a city. One side is bordered by the walls of Ichan-Qala, while the other sides are enclosed by special defensive walls. The Ark can be accessed only through one entrance — the eastern gate.

Its territory covers more than one hectare and has a rectangular shape (123 × 93 meters), surrounded by high, thick defensive walls. Kuhna Ark consists of four courtyards of different sizes.

In the western part of Kuhna Ark stands the Aq Shaykh Bobo pavilion, which, according to legend, was associated with Sheikh Mukhtar Vali, who lived in the 14th century. It is said that an elderly man dressed in white once lived there, which is why the hill became known as Aq Shaykh Bobo. In fact, this hill served as an observation point of the khan’s palace, offering a clear view of the surrounding city.

Address: Khiva city, “Ichan-Qala” neighborhood, A. Boltayev Street.

February 27, 2026