Stunning Old-World Cities That Still Feel Frozen in Time

29. Bukhara, Uzbekistan: A Silk Road Oasis of Islamic Architecture

Step into Bukhara, a UNESCO World Heritage city in Uzbekistan, and be transported back to the golden age of the Silk Road. This ancient oasis city boasts over 140 protected architectural monuments, including magnificent mosques, madrassas, and minarets, many dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries. The towering Poi Kalyan Minaret, untouched by Genghis Khan, dominates the skyline. Wandering its historic center, alive with bustling bazaars and intricate tile work, feels like exploring a scene from One Thousand and One Nights, revealing millennia of rich Islamic scholarship and trade.