Mausoleum of the Samanides

The outstanding monument of the Muslim architecture and striking example of the unique building art is the Mausoleum of the Samanides. The mausoleum built in IX-X centuries still impressing with its shapes and proportions, even in time of modern technologies helping to make an exact calculation of building constructions.

The building has a shape of cube covered by hemisphere.  The size of the mausoleum is 10x10 meters.  Walls depth is 1.8 meters. Four sides of out walls are flanked with columns. The most unique in this mausoleum is an ornament from bricks decorating external and internal walls. Patterns of burnt bricks are laid in horizontal, vertical and inclined planes. They seem interlaced. The mausoleum can be observed from four sides and the ornament of facade is identical in all views. The color and tints of the brick coverage are changing from bright to dark dependently on sunbeams falling on the building.

Being built at the will of the Samanides state’s founder Ismail Samani, this mausoleum became their family burial vault. Ismail was buried here as well as his grandson, in accordance with inscription over the entrance.

Such mausoleum was built in the Muslim history for the first time.

The mausoleum of the Samanides is one of the greatest religious monuments of Muslim culture not only in Uzbekistan, but all around the world. And It is under the UNESCO protection.