Located at Khast Imam Square in Zarqaynar Street to the east of Chor-Su bazaar, Barak-Khan Madrasah can be found on the opposite of the museum of most ancient relic.
Well-known as the centre of scientists, philosophers and scholars of Islam, Barakh-Khan Madrasah is one of the Tashkent Attractions as it has the rich collections of oriental manuscripts. Due to the speciality of keeping the world famous Koran of Caliph Osman which is the primary source of holy Islam book, it is famous as Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Central Asia. During Uzbekistan Tours, a visit to this Madrasah can gives the opportunity to see the huge holy book of Islam written in the mid 17th century.
Barak-Khan Madrasah was built during 16th century by order of Nauruz Ahmad- Khan, the governor of Tashkent and the grandson of Mirzo Ulugbek, to dedicate his father Suyunidzh-khan. As Nauruz Ahmad-Khan ruler was known for the good luck, the name of madrasah turned into "Barak-Khan" or "Lucky ruler." In 1532, the construction of Barakh-Khan Madrasah was completed.
According to the historian, Caliph Osman was murdered while reading this book and the drops of blood fall on this book. The Koran of Osman was kept in Medina and then transferred to Damascus, Bagdad and finally transferred to the Central Asia during the reign of the Timurid dynasty. During 15th century, the Koran was found in Samarkand with dried blood stains. For the first time the Koran got the place at the court of Mirzo Ulugbek, the Amir Timur's grandson.
After the Russian conquest, the Koran of Osman was transferred to St. Petersburg, before the revolution. In 1924, the Koran was sent to Uzbekistan but the governor General Konstantin von Kaufman sent it to the Imperial Public Library in St-Petersburg. At the end of 20th century, the Koran was handed to the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Uzbekistan.
Barakh-Khan Madrasah, one of the Tashkent Attractions, was built of brick and crowned by the three blue domes. On Uzbekistan Tours, the doors of cells or khudjras and the gate of madrasah are decorated with ivory and non-ferrous metals.
But in the ancient time, calotte of the dome of the Barakh-Khan Madrasah was designed with sky blue tiles while the drum of the dome was specifically designed with mosaic octagonal star and the walls looked gorgeous with gold paintings. The central entrance of Barak-Khan Madrasah looks attractive for the ceramic mosaics and paintings. As the complex has two mausoleums, one is found in the east side of the complex whereas the second mausoleum with two domes was built on the burial place of Suyundzh-Khan.
On the Day Tour In Tashkent, the ancient manuscript of 353 parchment pages with the Koran original text can be seen.
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There is nothing as per law in Uzbek that a woman must wear, so you can bring your clothes that you love to wear. However, the country has its own culture and we believe you won’t like to offend it. So, we recommend packing some light shirts, t-shirts, jeans and long-sleeved dresses covering knees. You need to wear a scarf or something that covers your head while entering a mosque. You can pack some swim-dress to wear near your pool at your hotel.
Well, it’s really up to you. Bring as much as you want to spend in Uzbekistan. The country is not much expensive but most for paying most of the things you will need cash. Cards are not much accepted here. You can exchange your money at the airport or in any hotel or banks of Uzbekistan (both in private & govt. bank). Keep in mind that you need to pay tips in restaurants and to porters (not mandatory, but expected as it’s almost a custom to tip).
No, drinking tap water isn’t considered safe in Uzbekistan. We highly recommend using bottled water while you are in Uzbekistan. Also, make sure to eat clean and well-cooked food. If you are visiting Uzbek inn hot time make sure to keep big water bottles as you will feel thirsty due to the hot climate especially in the day time.
Well, the answer is No. Uzbekistan is not only a magical country with a rich history and spectacular natural beauty but also a very friendly country to visit. If you are afraid of if it is safe, then let us tell you even the country is safe for solo woman travelers. Uzbek people are warm and friendly. They will easily welcome you as their guest. Choose a reliable tour operator and explore the best of the country without any fear.
Of course, you can avail alcohol in Uzbekistan. It is kind of part of their life. Alcohol is taken by many Uzbek people especially, the Russians. Soviet people introduced Vodka and other alcoholic drinks that are now a part of their life. However, some very strict Muslims don’t prefer drinking. However, it is allowed and legal in the country.
Uzbekistan is famous for its ancient cities like Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Shakhrisabz, Termez, and Tashkent that are explained in many historical stories. These places have some stunning old Islamic architecture buildings that make it famous. As well, the natural beauty, mountains, and rich history of the country usually fascinate its travelers.
Uzbek people eat many types of food in their daily life. The dishes of Uzbekistan are delicious. Mostly they eat and drink soups, meat dishes, floury dishes, bread, milk, and oriental sweets. They share their culinary style mostly with Turkic people. Mostly they have a whole meal in one pot. You can try some local cuisine during your visit to Uzbekistan like; Plov, Shashlik, Lagman Soup, Shurpa, Dimlama, Chuchvara, Samsa, and more.
While visiting to Uzbek you are recommended to have the following vaccination-
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Typhoid
Rabies
Meningitis
Polio
Measles
Mumps
Rubella
The country is best to visit at any time except the summer season (July & August). During these 2 months, the country is at its highest temperature that goes up to 40-degree Celsius. However, spring and autumn are a great time to visit Uzbek i.e. from April to May and September to early November. During this period the country remains dry with a clear sky and cool temp.
The tropical climate of the country is great for malaria mosquitoes; hence once malaria was the worst health threat in Uzbekistan. To protect people from falling ill in malaria the govt. of Uzbek has taken various steps and in 2010 the country became malaria-free. Now it has won the WHO certificate as a malaria-free country. Hence, you can stay stress-free about malaria.
In July 2018, Uzbekistan started an E-visa facility and there are 76 nationalists can apply for a visa online. You can go to the official E-visa site, and apply for your e-visa by filling a form online. The total cost is 20USD. It takes 2 to 3 working days for processing your visa and then you can get a confirmation in your mail. The payment you can do only in the working hours. If you are not from a country where you can go for e-visa, then you can go with the traditional way. You can book it from the embassy.
There are 21 countries that enjoy visa free entry to Uzbekistan. Here is the cost for Uzbekistan-
Cost for 30-days single-entry or multiple-entry visa- US$60 to US$100 for most nationalities
Cost for 30-days single-entry or multiple-entry visa - $160 for US nationalities
Additional entry cost- $10Per entry