# Chor-Bakr Necropolis, Bukhara > Chor Bakr is a 16th-century necropolis of the Juybari sheikhs in the village of Sumitan, 5–6 km west of Bukhara: a mosque, madrasa and khanqah surrounded by walled family courtyards. Entry is **roughly 10,000–15,000 UZS** (unofficial), and it’s open daily from about 8–9am to 6pm. It’s a 15-minute taxi ride; an hour on site is enough. Since 2023 it’s part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Web page: https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/chor-bakr - City: [Bukhara](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara), Uzbekistan - YesGo score: 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: About 10,000–15,000 UZS; one 2025 blog found no ticket at all - Children: Under 7 free - Hours: Daily, about 8:00–18:00; may close at 17:30 on weekdays - Closed: No closing day - Payment: Cash in som at the gate; cards work in town, not here - Getting there: Yandex Go taxi from the old town, about 15 minutes, 15,000–20,000 UZS - Time needed: About an hour - Location: Sumitan village, 5–6 km west of Bukhara - Coordinates: 39.77444, 64.33444 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **16th century** — Abdullah Khan II builds the mosque, madrasa and khanqah as a gift to his Juybari mentor (source: English and Russian Wikipedia: Chor-Bakr (1559); Afisha.uz and Orexca (1560)) - **2023** — inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor (source: English Wikipedia: Chor-Bakr; Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor) - **5–6 km** — west of Bukhara, in the village of Sumitan (source: English and Russian Wikipedia: Chor-Bakr; ICESCO; Afisha.uz) - **970** — death of Abu Bakr Saad, whose grave the necropolis grew around (source: English Wikipedia: Chor-Bakr (970–971); Orexca) - **‘Four Bakrs’** — what the name means — four sheikhs named Abu Bakr are honoured here (source: Russian Wikipedia: Chor-Bakr; Indian Vagabond) - **1563** — death of Khoja Juybari, Abdullah Khan’s mentor, buried beside Abu Bakr Saad (source: Afisha.uz; Orexca) - **Juybari** — the family of sheikhs for whom Chor Bakr became the family burial ground (source: English and Russian Wikipedia: Chor-Bakr; Orexca; ICESCO) - **Hazira** — roofless walled burial courtyards with a decorated gate, used here instead of domed mausoleums (source: Orexca; ICESCO; Afisha.uz) - **‘City of the dead’** — the nickname, for its lanes and courtyards laid out like a town quarter (source: ICESCO; Orexca) - **3 buildings** — at the heart of the complex: mosque, madrasa and khanqah (source: Afisha.uz; Orexca; Russian Wikipedia: Chor-Bakr) > **It’s outside the old town — you can’t walk there** Chor Bakr sits in Sumitan village, 5–6 km west of Bukhara, well beyond walking range from Lyabi-Hauz. Plan on a taxi both ways plus an hour on site — about 90 minutes in total. The easy move is to pair it with the emir’s summer palace, [Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/sitorai-mokhi-khosa), and cover both with one driver. ## How much is the Chor Bakr entrance fee? Expect to pay **roughly 10,000–15,000 UZS**, which is pocket change. These are unofficial figures: the Sputnik8 travel guide lists 10,000 UZS with under-7s free, and mentions 15,000 UZS elsewhere on the same page. The complex has no website or published price list, so we mark the fee as unconfirmed. One travel blog from 2025 calls it a non-ticketed monument, so you may find nobody selling tickets at all. Bring cash in som. Visa and Mastercard are accepted at many hotels, restaurants and ATMs in Bukhara, but not at a village gate. Yandex Go lets you pay the taxi by card in the app or in cash. If you’re on a countryside tour, check whether admission is included — some operators include it and some don’t. > **Dress code: this is a working mosque and a pilgrimage site** Cover shoulders and knees; women should bring a scarf for the mosque. Local pilgrims come to pray at the sheikhs’ graves, so keep your voice down and ask before photographing people at the tombs. Friday midday prayers fill the mosque — explore the courtyards at that time instead. ## What is Chor Bakr? The name is Persian for **‘Four Bakrs’** — four sheikhs called Abu Bakr are honoured here. The first was Abu Bakr Saad, a scholar of Islamic law said to descend from the Prophet Muhammad. He settled in Sumitan in the 10th century and died in 970; pilgrims began visiting his grave and a cemetery grew around it. What you see today belongs to the **Juybari sheikhs**, a dynasty of Sufi leaders who in the 16th century had as much sway in Bukhara as the khans. The Shaybanid ruler Abdullah Khan II built the mosque, madrasa and khanqah as a gift to his mentor, Khoja Juybari — Wikipedia dates it to 1559, Afisha.uz and Orexca to 1560. The sheikh died in 1563, was buried beside Abu Bakr Saad, and Chor Bakr became the family’s burial ground. Instead of domed mausoleums, the family built **hazira**: roofless walled courtyards entered through a single ornate gate. Rows of them, with narrow lanes in between, give the place its nickname, the ‘city of the dead’. In 2023 Chor Bakr was inscribed by UNESCO as one component of the Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor. ## What to see at Chor Bakr - **The main courtyard** with the khanqah, mosque and madrasa — the showpiece of the complex and the best overall view. - **Tall tiled portals** with blue and turquoise patterns and calligraphy on the facades. - **The small minaret and the pool** in the courtyard — the classic Chor Bakr photo. - **The lanes between the hazira** — walk past the main court to the back, where it’s quietest and the ‘city’ layout makes sense. - **Carved family gates**: each courtyard has its own entrance and decoration. - Carved marble gravestones inside the courtyards — look from the path, don’t step onto the graves. ## How to get to Chor Bakr from Bukhara 1. From Po-i-Kalyan square by the [Kalyan Minaret](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/kalyan-minaret), walk out to the nearest road — the old town is pedestrian and cars can’t get in. 2. Order a Yandex Go taxi to ‘Chor Bakr’ or Sumitan village. It’s about 15 minutes west and, by unofficial estimates, 15,000–20,000 UZS. 3. Ask the driver to wait for an hour, or book the return ride in advance — free taxis can be scarce in the village. 4. Pay at the gate in cash, if the ticket desk is staffed. 5. Local buses and Damas minivans run towards Sumitan, but we couldn’t confirm route numbers — a taxi saves a lot of guesswork. 6. On the way back, ask to be dropped at the [Samanid Mausoleum](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/samanid-mausoleum) on the western edge of the old town. ## Is Chor Bakr worth visiting? **Yes, if you have two days or more in Bukhara.** It’s the calmest of the big sights around the city: fewer tour groups than at the Ark or Lyabi-Hauz, and you can wander the courtyards at your own pace. It also shows a different Bukhara — not the emirs, but the sheikhs who held spiritual power behind them. With only one day, stay in the old town: the [Ark](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/ark-of-bukhara), Po-i-Kalyan and the trading domes matter more and need no car. If cemeteries and architecture without museum displays don’t interest you, the necropolis can feel repetitive — without a guide’s stories much of it is just walls and gates. ## Before you go - [ ] Cash in som for entry and small purchases - [ ] Clothes covering shoulders and knees - [ ] A scarf for women, for the mosque - [ ] Yandex Go installed and working - [ ] Driver waiting or return ride booked - [ ] Not arriving during Friday midday prayers - [ ] Water and a hat — the courtyards have little shade ## Chor Bakr vs Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa vs the Samanid Mausoleum | | Chor Bakr | Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa | Samanid Mausoleum | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | 16th-century necropolis of sheikhs | Last emir’s summer palace | 10th-century mausoleum | | Where | Sumitan, west of the city | Outside the city, to the north | Western edge of the old town | | Getting there | Taxi, about 15 min | Taxi | On foot | | Time needed | About 1 h | 1–1.5 h | 20–30 min | | Feel | Quiet, pilgrims | Museum rooms and garden | Park, one small building | Chor Bakr and Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa make one easy taxi half-day. If you’d rather skip the car, the Samanid Mausoleum gives you early Bukhara within walking distance. ## Historic sights in Bukhara: compare and choose Bukhara places rated by YesGo. - [Lyabi-Hauz](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/lyabi-hauz) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free - [Mir-i-Arab Madrasa](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/mir-i-arab-madrasa) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free; usually no entry past the foyer - [Chor Minor](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/chor-minor) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free from outside - [Bolo-Hauz Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/bolo-hauz-mosque) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free - [Trading Domes](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/bukhara-trading-domes) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Ark of Bukhara](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/ark-of-bukhara) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ 60,000 UZS for foreigners - [Kalyan Minaret](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/kalyan-minaret) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Square free, mosque ≈ 15,000 UZS - [Samanid Mausoleum](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/samanid-mausoleum) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · ≈ 20,000 UZS, under 7s free - [Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/sitorai-mokhi-khosa) — YesGo score 32/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ 60,000 UZS for foreign visitors - [Chor-Bakr Necropolis](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/chor-bakr) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ 10,000–15,000 UZS ## Bukhara’s outskirts in half a day A quiet necropolis in the morning, the emir’s palace at midday, then the Samanid Mausoleum and Bolo-Hauz Mosque on the way back. 1. [Chor-Bakr Necropolis](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/chor-bakr) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ 10,000–15,000 UZS 2. [Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/sitorai-mokhi-khosa) — YesGo score 32/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · ≈ 60,000 UZS for foreign visitors 3. [Samanid Mausoleum](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/samanid-mausoleum) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · ≈ 20,000 UZS, under 7s free 4. [Bolo-Hauz Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/bolo-hauz-mosque) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · Free ## Don’t mix it up Chor Bakr (‘four Bakrs’) is the necropolis outside town. [Chor Minor](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/bukhara/chor-minor) (‘four minarets’) is the small building with four blue domes in a residential lane near Lyabi-Hauz, an easy walk. The names sound alike, so tell your driver ‘necropolis, Sumitan’. ## Tips - Go in the morning: it’s cooler, the courtyards are quiet and the light is soft on the tiles. - Combine it with Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa — one driver, one half-day. - Hire a guide or read up first: without the Juybari story the courtyards blur together. - Don’t step on gravestones or grave enclosures — this is still a working cemetery. - Carry small som notes; there may be no change at the gate. ## Questions ### How do I get to Chor Bakr from Bukhara? By Yandex Go taxi — about 15 minutes west, roughly 15,000–20,000 UZS (unofficial). Local buses run to Sumitan, but we couldn’t confirm route numbers. ### What is the Chor Bakr entrance fee? About 10,000–15,000 UZS, under-7s free. These are unofficial figures; there’s no published price list and sometimes nobody sells tickets. ### What are Chor Bakr’s opening hours? Daily from about 8–9am to 6pm, possibly 5:30pm on weekdays. There’s no official schedule, so treat these as unofficial. ### Is Chor Bakr worth visiting? Yes on a second day in Bukhara, especially combined with Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa. With one day only, the old town comes first. ### How long do you need at Chor Bakr? About an hour on site plus 15 minutes each way by taxi — around 90 minutes in all. ### Where exactly is Chor Bakr? In Sumitan village, Bukhara District, 5–6 km west of the city. ### What does Chor Bakr mean? ‘Four Bakrs’ — four sheikhs named Abu Bakr, the first of them Abu Bakr Saad, who died in 970. ### Is Chor Bakr a UNESCO site? Yes. Since 2023 it’s one component of the Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor World Heritage site. ### What should I wear to Chor Bakr? Cover shoulders and knees; women should bring a scarf for the mosque. It’s a pilgrimage site, so keep it quiet. ### Is Chor Bakr the same as Chor Minor? No. Chor Minor is the four-minaret building in the old town; Chor Bakr is the necropolis outside the city in Sumitan. ## How we checked The complex has no website or published price list, so the fee, hours, payment and taxi fare are marked unofficial. Prices differ: Sputnik8 gives 10,000 UZS (and 15,000 UZS in its tips), while the Indian Vagabond blog describes it as non-ticketed — we show the range and the caveat. Hours differ too: Sputnik8 says 9:00–18:00 daily; the Wanderlog listing says 8:00–17:30 on weekdays and 8:00–18:00 at weekends; we show the combined range. No source gave route numbers for buses to Sumitan. Wikipedia dates the ensemble to 1559, Afisha.uz and Orexca to 1560, so the facts say 16th century and give both. The 2023 UNESCO inscription is checked against English Wikipedia’s articles on Chor-Bakr and on the Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor; Russian Wikipedia instead links it to the Historic Centre of Bukhara. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Chor-Bakr; Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor - Russian Wikipedia: Chor-Bakr - Wikidata: Q1649236 - Afisha.uz: ‘Where the walls are silent and the birds sing: the history of Chor-Bakr’, June 2025 - Orexca: Chor-Bakr Necropolis, vicinity of Bukhara - ICESCO, Islamic World Heritage: Chor Bakr Necropolis - Sputnik8: Chor-Bakr guide — fee, hours, taxi - Wanderlog: Chor Bakr listing — opening hours - Indian Vagabond: Chor Bakr Necropolis, April 2025 --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.