Minaret Kalyan

 The Kalyan Minaret (Persian/Tajik: Minâra-i Kalân, Kalon Minor, Kalon Minaret[2]) is a minaret of the Po-i-Kalyan mosque complex in Bukhara, Uzbekistan and one of the most prominent landmarks in the city.

Kalyan Minaret is located in eastern part of Bukhara and the history of its construction referred to the XI century. This monument originally served for the purpose of call for Muslim prayers. However later, this high minaret became an observation post, from which followed the appearance of the enemy and also served as a kind of beacon for trade caravans.

During the reign of Bukhara ruler of the Mangits Board it served as a place of public punishment where from top of minaret thrown down on a stone. That is why later this place became notorious as Tower of Death.

Minaret is a sloping pole, built of baked bricks where inside you will find the spiral staircase, leading to the site of rotunda - skylight, based on projecting rows of masonry, decorated in the form of magnificent stalactites. Currently minaret released from the layers of soil in the basement with a depth of 10 meters.

Lantern has 16 cross- arched openings over which launched crowning stalactite cornice. On the ledge there is an inscription on its construction in 1127, and mentioned the name of the architect - Bako.

Minaret Kalyan is strong, majestic and balanced in its monumental and a little bit massive shapes. At the same time it is distinct, clear and filigree fine worked in all details. Its proportions, divisions are of big taste.

During many centuries minaret Kalyan survived all earthquakes, which destroyed many tall constructions in Uzbekistan. The secret of its stability is in empirically right found correlations of the parts of the building, in the construction of its fundament, in a good quality of the brickwork.