Architecture in the Samanid period
During the Samanid period the city
consisted of several parts. The ark (citadel) was
the most strongly
fortified area. The citadel was completely walled,
so that it was nearly impregnable because of its high
and thick walls.
East of the ark, there was the fortified Shakhristan
(the oldest part of the city). The suburb (rabad)
also had walls and consisted of two parts: the inner
rabad and the outer one. At the foot of the ark there
was the wide Reghistan Square surrounded with offices
for the 10 principal governmental entities (divans].
Hear this square a palace was built; it was most magnificent.
Mukaddasi, who visited Bukhara in the late tenth century,
said that it was the most spectacular that had ever
been seen in the Islamic world. There also was a musalla
(the place for holiday prayers) in the Registan square,
but under the Samanids the urban population had grown,
so that the old musalla could not cope with such numbers
of people, so in 97 1 a new musalla was built at a
half forasakh distance (3-4 km) from the citadel.
Another royal palace rose on the bank of the Dju-i
Mulian canal.
The only monumental structure that survived from the
Samanid epoch in Bukhara is the Samanid Mausoleum
which is the oldest Muslim memorial structure in Central
Asia and the oldest building made of fired bricks
from basement to crest. Bricks served as the only
decorative material. With plain make-up (cubic, domed
space) and comparatively small dimensions (10.75x10.75
m.), this mausoleum gives an impression of monumental
stateliness but, at the same time, a feeling of harmony,
lightness, grace, elegance, and taste. This mausoleum
is recognized deservedly as a masterpiece of Central
Asian architecture which, in S. Khmelnitskiy's opinion,
is the most beautiful architecture in the Islamic
countries, while the ninth-tenth centuries are the
most brilliant period in the development of this culture.
In addition to its talented architects, there were
many representatives of other crafts among the masters
who lived in Bukhara. Between the ark and shakhristan
near the cohgregational (Friday) mosque, there was
a large workshop that manufactured beautiful fabrics
and carpets to export to Syria, Egypt, and Rum (Asia
Minor). According to Mukaddasi, prayer rugs, copper
lamps, grease, wool, oil, and even bridles, manufactured
by the prisoners were also exported.
Bukhara was also a venue at which coins were minted.
In the tenth century Bukhara minted golden coins (dinars),
silver coins (dirkhems) and copper coins (felses).
Dinars were not circulated in large numbers and did
not play a significant role, whereas dirkhems circulated
in considerable quantity. Dirkhems were named after
Ismail b. Akhmad — "ismai-lf. Being high-grade
coins, they were used actively used in international
trade; therefore, tenth century Samanid dirkhems can
be found in Iraq, Iran, Transcaucasus, and frequently
all over East and north Europe, including in Germany.
Under the Samanids duties were raised in dirkhems
and gitrifi. However, if one can trust Mukaddasi,
one could avoid the tax or ushra (tithe) collector.
Apparently, tax-exemption was granted to some citizens
of the capital in the late tenth century. It is not
incidental that Mukaddasi wrote: "The citizens
enjoy the justice of Sultan and dwell in stability
and bliss."
Bukhara itself made contradictory impressions on Mukaddasi.
According to his writings, this city was "blessed
for those eager to get it, enlivening for those dwelling
in it, kind to those who inhabit it. In this city
cooking is pleasant, and baths are tidy, and waters
are fresh, and streets are wide, and buildings are
precious. It is good to live and sojourn in, abundant
with fruits and madjlises (places for meetings). Plain
people have a good command in fikh (jurisprudence)
and literature". Also, however, he mentioned
that the urban area was dense and crowded ("the
most crowded city in the East"), the city was
notorious for frequent fires, and an unfriendly climate
("now hot, now cold").
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