Imam al-Bukhari Complex
The tomb of the ninth-century hadith compiler outside Samarkand, rebuilt in 1998.
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Muhammad al-Bukhari compiled the collection of hadith that Sunni Muslims regard as the most authoritative after the Quran itself, and he died in 870 at Hartang outside Samarkand, where his grave became a place of pilgrimage. The complex over it was entirely rebuilt in 1998: a domed mausoleum in blue tile, a mosque, a courtyard with a pool and a library, on a scale designed for the numbers who come from across the Muslim world.
What you actually see
- The mausoleum - the blue-tiled domed building over the grave.
- The courtyard - the arcaded space with its pool at the centre.
- The mosque and library - the buildings added in the 1998 rebuilding.
- The pilgrimage - visitors coming from across the Muslim world.
When to go
April to June and September to October are the comfortable months. Fridays and holidays are busiest. Modest dress is required and enforced.
Honest expectations
Everything standing is from 1998; no old fabric survives above ground. Photography is restricted in places. This is a working shrine rather than a monument.
Nearby
Samarkand is south, and Konigil is on the way.
What to pack for Imam al-Bukhari Complex
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.