Photo: Ymblanter · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Lab-i Hauz

Lab-i Hauz is a shaded pool in the heart of old Bukhara, framed by madrasas and a Sufi lodge from the 16th and 17th centuries. It is one of the best places in the city to sit with a cup of tea and watch daily life go by.

History

Bukhara once had many hauz pools, which served as the city's main water source. Because they spread disease, most were filled in during the 1920s and 1930s. Lab-i Hauz survived largely thanks to the architectural ensemble around it. The name comes from Persian and means "by the pool".

The oldest building is the Kukeldash Madrasa (1568-1569). The pool, the khanaqah and the madrasa date from the early 17th century and were commissioned by Nadir Divan-Beghi, vizier under Imam Quli Khan. According to tradition, the land for the pool belonged to an elderly Jewish widow who refused to sell; she finally gave it up in exchange for other land on which she could build a synagogue. The story is handed down as folk memory, and the pool was also nicknamed the "pool made with force".

What to see

The pool is rectangular, with stone steps down to the water and century-old trees around it. On the north side stands the Kukeldash Madrasa, the largest in the city, with 160 cells. Part of it is a museum devoted to the writers Sadriddin Ayni and Jalol Ikromiy. Over the centuries it has also served as a caravanserai, a fortress and a place of execution.

On the west side is the Nadir Divan-Beghi Khanaqah, whose domed hall has notable acoustics, and opposite it on the east is the Nadir Divan-Beghi Madrasa. Its portal shows two simurghs carrying deer and a face in the sun, imagery that is unusual in the Islamic world. The building was originally conceived as a caravanserai. Beside the pool you will also find a statue of Nasreddin, the folklore figure Uzbeks claim as a native of Bukhara.

Visiting tips

Lab-i Hauz lies in the old town of Bukhara and is easy to reach on foot from the trading domes nearby. Early morning and late afternoon are the most comfortable times, and the area becomes lively in the evening. Tea houses around the pool are a pleasant place to sit and take it all in.

Opening times and entry conditions for the madrasa and museum sections can change, so check before you go. Dress modestly when entering religious buildings. The other historic sites of the old town are within an easy walk.