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Chor Minor, Bukhara

Chor Minor in Bukhara: a brick gatehouse with four towers under turquoise domes, a stork's nest on one of them
Photo: ElenaLitera, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free from outside; the ground-floor shop is free too
Hours
Exterior: any time; shop inside: daytime, roughly 8:00–20:00 (unofficial)
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
20 min
With kids
Fine with kids
Roof
Not always open: sometimes a small fee via the shop, sometimes closed
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Shop inside
Daytime, roughly 8:00–20:00
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Time needed
15–20 minutes; up to half an hour with photos
Payment
Som in cash is safest; some souvenir shops take Visa and Mastercard
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Getting there
≈ 10 min on foot from Lyabi-Hauz, ≈ 20 min from the Kalyan Minaret
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Where
Mehtar Ambar Street, a residential quarter northeast of Lyabi-Hauz
Coordinates
39.77483, 64.42737YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

1807built under the Manghit dynasty (Russian Wikipedia gives 1805–1806)
3 sourcesEnglish WikipediaOrexCARussian Wikipedia
4 towerseach capped with a blue-tiled dome, no two decorated alike
2 sourcesEnglish and Russian WikipediaAdvantour
A gatehousethe madrasa of Khalif Niyazkul behind it has almost entirely vanished
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
Khalif Niyazkula wealthy Bukharan of Turkmen origin who paid for the madrasa
2 sourcesEnglish and Russian WikipediaAdvantour
1 staircaseruns up one tower; the other three were storerooms
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
Not minaretsthe towers are decorative — no call to prayer was ever made from them
2 sourcesEnglish WikipediaIndian Vagabond
A libraryonce filled the domed room on the upper floor
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaIndian Vagabond
1995one tower collapsed after an underground stream washed out its base; it was quickly rebuilt
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
Cross, fish, wheelmotifs in the domes often read as symbols of different faiths — an interpretation, not a fact
3 sourcesEnglish WikipediaAdvantourOrexCA
A hauzsmall stone-lined pool by the building, probably of the same period
2 sourcesEnglish WikipediaAdvantour
UNESCOpart of the Historic Centre of Bukhara World Heritage Site
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia

Chor Minor entry fee and opening hours

There is no ticket. You look at Chor Minor from the lane, free and at any time of day or night. The ground floor is a souvenir shop that you can walk into for free; it keeps daytime hours, roughly 8:00–20:00 (unofficial).

Bring som in cash. Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards work in hotels and bigger restaurants in Bukhara, but small shops and stalls often take cash only, so som is the safe bet here. Bank ATMs around Lyabi-Hauz dispense som.

How to get to Chor Minor

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on footdestinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

On foot

More tips

  1. From Po-i-Kalyan square by the Kalyan Minaret, walk east through the trading domes — about 10 minutes to Lyabi-Hauz.
  2. Pass the pool and the Kukeldash Madrasa, then head northeast into the residential lanes towards Mehtar Ambar Street.
  3. Another 10 minutes or so. There are few signs, so keep Google Maps or Maps.me open and look for the turquoise domes above the rooftops.
  4. From Bukhara airport (BHK), a Yandex Go taxi takes about 15 minutes; from Kagan railway station, 12 km away, about 25. Cars can get almost to the door.
  5. Walk back the same way to Lyabi-Hauz for tea by the water.

Is Chor Minor worth visiting?

Yes — as a short detour. It is one of the most photographed buildings in Bukhara and nothing else in the city looks like it, but there is little to do beyond walking round it. Fifteen to twenty minutes is enough.

If you only have half a day, put the Kalyan Minaret, the trading domes and the Ark first. If you are already at Lyabi-Hauz, go: the walk is short and the lanes on the way show the residential old town most visitors never see.

What is Chor Minor? A short history

Chor Minor is a darvazakhana — the gatehouse of a madrasa founded by Khalif Niyazkul, a wealthy Bukharan of Turkmen origin. The name is Persian for “four minarets”, but the towers were never used for the call to prayer: one holds a staircase, the other three were storerooms. Downstairs was the entrance hall; the domed room upstairs housed the library.

The usual date is 1807; Russian Wikipedia puts it at 1805–1806, and archive documents cited by Advantour suggest a Niyazkul madrasa already stood here in the late 17th century. The madrasa was also a Sufi centre — its mosque dome had good acoustics for dhikr. In Soviet times the student cells became housing and the madrasa was pulled down for its bricks, leaving the gatehouse, a few cells and the pool.

In 1995 the southeast tower fell after an underground stream undermined it. UNESCO sent emergency aid and the tower was rebuilt — look closely and one tower still looks newer than the rest.

What to see

  • The four domes — walk all the way round: the tilework on each tower is different.
  • The motifs: people spot a cross, a fish and a wheel and read them as symbols of four religions, or the four corners of the world. It is a popular interpretation, not a documented intention.
  • The stork's nest on top of one tower — storks are a lucky sign in Bukhara.
  • The small stone-lined hauz in front — the last trace of the madrasa courtyard.
  • The dome over the entrance hall, seen from inside the shop.
  • The lanes themselves: mud-brick walls and carved wooden doors — everyday Bukhara, not a showcase.

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Chor Minor vs Lyabi-Hauz vs the Kalyan Minaret

Chor Minoryou are here1807 madrasa gatehouseFree from outside15–20 minQuiet, except tour groupsResidential lanes, 10 min from Lyabi-Hauz
Lyabi-HauzSquare around a pool with madrasasFree45 min, plus an eveningBusy, especially at nightHeart of the old town
Kalyan MinaretThe city's great 12th-century minaretSquare free30 minBusyPo-i-Kalyan square

One day in Bukhara? Kalyan and Lyabi-Hauz come first. Chor Minor is the short add-on for one of the city's signature photos.

Bukhara's historic sights compared

Every historic place in Bukhara rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Lyabi-Hauz4545 minFree11 min walk
Mir-i-Arab Madrasa4520 minFree18 min walk
Chor Minoryou are here4420 minFree—
Bolo-Hauz Mosque4420 minFree30 min walk
Trading Domes441 hFree16 min walk
Ark of Bukhara431 h 30 min≈ 60,000 UZS for foreigners26 min walk
Kalyan Minaret3945 minSquare free, mosque ≈ 15,000 UZS18 min walk
Samanid Mausoleum3830 min≈ 20,000 UZS, under 7s free40 min walk
Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace321 h 30 min≈ 60,000 UZS for foreign visitors4.4 km
Chor-Bakr Necropolis301 h≈ 10,000–15,000 UZS7.9 km

A morning in the old town, ending at Chor Minor

From the minaret through the trading domes to the pool, then into the quiet lanes for the four domes. Add them to your route in one tap — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Kalyan Minaret45 min · Square free, mosque ≈ 15,000 UZS
  2. 3 min walk from the previous stopTrading Domes1 h · Free
  3. 8 min walk from the previous stopLyabi-Hauz45 min · Free
  4. 11 min walk from the previous stopChor Minoryou are here20 min · Free from outside

4 places · about 3 h 12 min with walks · 22 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Lyabi-Hauz

Bukhara, Uzbekistan

45 min · Free · 11 min walk

Trading Domes

Bukhara, Uzbekistan

1 h · Free · 16 min walk

Mir-i-Arab Madrasa

Bukhara, Uzbekistan

20 min · Free; usually no entry past the foyer · 18 min walk

Kalyan Minaret

Bukhara, Uzbekistan

45 min · Square free, mosque ≈ 15,000 UZS · 18 min walk

How to do it right

  • Pair it with Lyabi-Hauz: tea by the pool is a 10-minute walk away.
  • The best angle is from the pool side, with all four towers in frame.
  • If the roof is closed, you are not missing much — the street view is the point.
  • Haggling is normal in the shop; convert dollar prices to som before you agree.
  • Mornings are quietest; tour groups usually pass through from mid-morning.

Questions

Is Chor Minor free?

Yes. Looking at it from outside and stepping into the ground-floor souvenir shop are both free. Going up, on the days it is allowed, is usually a small fee paid in the shop.

Can you go inside Chor Minor or up to the roof?

You can enter the shop on the ground floor. Roof access varies: some visitors are let up for a small fee, others are told the upper floor is closed. Ask on the spot.

What are Chor Minor's opening hours?

The exterior can be seen at any time. The shop inside keeps daytime hours, roughly 8:00–20:00 — unofficial information.

How do I get to Chor Minor from Lyabi-Hauz?

Walk northeast through the residential lanes to Mehtar Ambar Street — about 10 minutes. Use a map app; signs are scarce.

How long do you need at Chor Minor?

15–20 minutes to walk round it and take photos, up to half an hour if you visit the shop and the roof.

Is Chor Minor worth it?

Yes, as a short detour from Lyabi-Hauz — the building is unique. It is not worth a special trip if you only have a few hours in Bukhara.

What do the four towers of Chor Minor mean?

No one knows for sure. A popular reading links the different motifs to four religions or the four corners of the world, but the builder's intentions are undocumented.

Is Chor Minor a mosque?

No. It is the gatehouse of a madrasa that was demolished in Soviet times. The towers look like minarets but are decorative.

When was Chor Minor built?

Usually dated 1807; Russian Wikipedia gives 1805–1806. Archive records suggest a madrasa of Khalif Niyazkul stood here as early as the late 17th century.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • English Wikipedia: Chor Minor
  • Russian Wikipedia: Chor-Minor; Wikidata Q4517198
  • OrexCA: Chor-Minor, Bukhara
  • Advantour and Eurasia.travel: Chor-Minor, Bukhara
  • Indian Vagabond: Chor Minor, Bukhara, April 2025
  • Airial Travel: Chor Minor Bukhara Uzbekistan
  • Wanderlog: Chor Minor Madrasah place page
  • Kursiv: How to pay when traveling to Uzbekistan, 2025
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·
How we checkedChor Minor has no official website or price list: it is a building in a residential quarter, free to view from outside. Sources disagree on going up: Airial Travel and Indian Vagabond (2025) say the upper floor is off-limits, other guides describe a small fee paid in the shop — we give no amount and mark the row as unverified. Shop hours of 8:00–20:00 are unofficial, from Wanderlog and Airial Travel. The date differs: 1807 in English Wikipedia, OrexCA and Advantour, 1805–1806 in Russian Wikipedia, and Advantour and Eurasia.travel mention archive records of the madrasa from the late 17th century — we show all three. The 1995 tower collapse is from English and Russian Wikipedia. The four-religions reading of the domes is presented as an interpretation. We estimate the walk from Lyabi-Hauz at 10 minutes from the distance; Airial Travel says 20–30, so the row is marked unverified. Payment advice is from Kursiv's 2025 guide.

Top YesGo picks: Bukhara

Bolo-Hauz Mosque

Bukhara, Uzbekistan

20 min · Free

Ark of Bukhara

Bukhara, Uzbekistan

1 h 30 min · ≈ 60,000 UZS for foreigners

Samanid Mausoleum

Bukhara, Uzbekistan

30 min · ≈ 20,000 UZS, under 7s free

Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace

Bukhara, Uzbekistan

1 h 30 min · ≈ 60,000 UZS for foreign visitors

Chor-Bakr Necropolis

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1 h · ≈ 10,000–15,000 UZS

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