Pe Drumul Matasii in Uzbekistan 22. Chasma Ayub si Moscheea Magoki Attori / On the Silk Road in Uzbekistan 22. Chasma Ayub and Magoki Attori Mosque

Near the Mausoleum of Ismail Samani, Chasma Ayub reminds us of the Job’s well from the Bible (Jobis Ayub in Arabic). This construction has been renewed more times, last time in the 16^th century. The conic dome is unusual for Bukhara, and comes from the 12^th century. There is a Museum of Water Supplies inside.

Not far from our hotel, the Magoki Attori Mosque is one of the oldest monument in Bukhara. It was constructed in the place of a pagan temple, dedicated to Siun, the god of the moon. This one stayed on the place were once a market for idols, medicines and herbs (“attori”means “herb”) was. It is believed that Jews worshiped together with Muslims in this mosque. The name of “magok” means “in the pit”, because the mosques is under the soil level. The portal is a masterpiece representative for the

Islamic architecture, and it was added in the 16^th century. A Museum of the Carpet has been open inside, on 1991.

We also visited a local ceramic workshop, which runs in the family for six generations. 

 

In apropierea Mausoleului lui Ismail Samani se afla Chasma Ayub, constructie legata de biblicul Iov (Ayub in araba), care a batut in pamant cu bastonul sau si a descoprit un izvor cu apa buna de baut. Ea a fost refacuta de mai multe ori, forma de astazi – caracterizata printr-un dom conic, neobisnuit pentru zona Buharei – datand din secolul al 16-lea. Izvorul de apa tamaduitoare, gasit de Iov, se afla si astazi in interiorul care gazduieste in prezent un Muzeu al Resurselor de Apa.

Pe Drumul Matasii in Uzbekistan 11. Tashkentul Vechi - Complexul Khast Imam / On the Silk Road in Uzbekistan 11. Old Tashkent - The Khast Imam Complex

In the part of the city were it is supposed to be the old centre – Shashi - , a complex of monuments called Khast Imam Complex wes erected in few centuries. The complex was built around the burial place of the first imam (Islamic leader), Khaffal ash-Shashi. Born in 903 in Tashkent, he was educated in Samarkand, Bukhara and Termez. He visited Damascus and Baghdad and than Mecca, twice. Khaffal was one of the founder of sharia, the moral and relious code of Islam. He was proclaimed saint after his death, and a mausoleum was erected over his tomb in 1541. It was designed as khanaka, meaning shelter for the travelers. On the 12 m heigh façade, an Arabic inscription ask all the visitors to pray for him.


Near the mausoleum, another building is the former Namazgokh mosque, now the site of a renowned Islamic university, Imam al-Bukhariy, founded in 1970. After finishing their studies in a madrasah, young people come here to study for four years: religion, history, literature and Arabic.

In the 19^th. century the Juma Mosque or Friday Mosque has been built. It has two minarets, 56 m tall. On the opposite side, the buildings of the Tilla Sheikh Mosque, are now a famous library with thousands of manuscripts beautifully written and richly adorned. Among them, the Othman’s/Osman’s Koran, the most famous Koran in the world. It was hand-copied in 651 by Othman, one of the Mohammad’s collaborators, who became the 3^rd. Caliph after Mohammad’s death. It is said he was attacked by non-believers while he copied the Koran and his blood is still on the pages. This precious book traveled a lot, and after reaching Russia, he was sent back to Uzbekistan in 1924, from political reasons. It is forbidden to take photos of the skin pages, written with very big letters, a real art work.

The last visited building here was the Barak Khan Madrasah, 16^th. century, which has now a lot of little souvenir shops. It still has a little mosque, and the beauty of the painted walls could still be admired.


Acolo unde in vechime ar fi fost, se crede, centrul orasului numit Shash, s-a ridicat in cateva secole un ansamblu de monumente - scapate de urgia cutremurului - ansamblu numit Khast Imam. El s-a format in jurul mormantului primului imam (lider islamic) al Tashkentului si propavaduitor al islamului, Kaffal ash-Shashi. In acelasi timp, Kaffal a fost si un mare poet. Acesta s-a nascut in anul 903 si, dupa ce si-a desarvarsit educatia in madrasele din Samarkand, Bukhara si Termez, a fost considerat urmasul spiritual al celor doi stalpi ai teologiei musulmane, Imam al-Bukhariy si Muhammad at-Termiziy. In cursul vietii sale a vizitat Damascul si Bagdadul si a facut de doua ori pelerinajul la Mecca sfanta. In lumea araba era numit "Marele Imam" datorita autoritatii sale. A facut totul pentru a raspandi islamismul si a pune bazele shariei (cod moral si religios al islamului). Dupa moarte a fost proclamat sfant si in 1541 a fost construit un mausoleu deasupra mormantului sau. Acesta are forma unui khanaka, adica adapost pentru calatori. Iesit din comun este faptul ca fatada - inalta de 12 m - nu este orientata in directia Meccai, ci spre nord. O inscriptie araba deasupra intrarii cere tuturor celor care vin aici, sa se roage pentru el.

 Mausoleul Khaffal-Shashi, 1541

 cenotaful lui Khaffal

 

mausoleul din profil, cu frumosul dom albastru

In acelasi complex trecem si pe langa alte monumente pe care insa nu le vizitam. Abia am timp sa fac cate o fotografie ici-colo. Acesta este unul dintre dezavantajele excursiei in grup: ea are obiective fixe, alese dupa anumite criterii si un timp alocat vizitarii fiecarui obiectiv. Cand iti organizezi singur excursia, stai cat doresti si vezi ce poftesti!

In fosta moschee Namazgokh datand din secolul al XIX-lea, langa mausoleu, isi are sediul Institutul Islamic Imam al-Bukhariy infiintat in 1970 si devenit o prestigioasa institutie de invatamant superior a lumii islamice. Dupa ce termina studiile intr-o madrasa, tinerii vin aici si studiaza, timp de 4 ani, teologie, istorie, literatura si limba araba.

Institutul Islamic Imam al-Bukhariy

Moscheea Juma (Moscheea de Vineri) este construita in secolul al XIX-lea si ofera servicii religioase doar in zilele de vineri. Tot aici se savarsesc si ceremonii de casatorie. Una dintre intrari este strajuita de doua minarete, inalte de 56 m.

 Moscheea Juma, sec. XIX

doamna a fost si in Japonia (nu sunt eu) :)

Vis-a-vis de moschee se afla cladirile bibliotecii, care adapostesc manuscrise rare din secolul al XVI-lea, bogat ilustrate si splendid caligrafiate, precum si exemplare frumoase din Coran, daruite de lideri din tari islamice. Cea mai pretioasa comoara insa, adapostita la Tilla Sheikh Masjid ("masjid" inseamna "moschee"), este Coranul lui Othman/Osman - cel mai vestit Coran din lume -, copiat de mana in anul 651, pe 353 de foi de pergament. Califul Othman a fost unul dintre insotitorii Profetului Mohammad, devenit al treilea calif dupa moartea acestuia. Deoarece califul a fost atacat in timp ce copia Coranul, sangele sau se mai afla pe foile acestuia, dand o noua valoare cartii. De-a lungul istoriei sale indelungate, Coranul acesta a calatorit in multe tari, ajungand si in Rusia, de unde a fost restituit tarii sale de origine in 1924. Pe langa valoarea sa istorica si artistica, el are o mare valoare spirituala, credinciosii venind si astazi in numar mare pentru a vedea aceasta carte sfanta. Fotografiatul este strict interzis in interior dar o copie a acestuia ati vazut la postarea despre Muzeul Timurizilor.

 Tilla Sheikh Masjid, sec. XIX

Prin piata larga care adaposteste complexul, credinciosii trec cuminti de la o cladire la alta, pentru a se inchina peste tot.

Ultima cladire pe care am vizitat-o in cadrul complexului a fost Barak-Khan Madrasah, o cladire din secolul al XVI-lea, ridicata de nepotul lui Ulugbek, Suyunij Khan. Ea mai are inca o moschee functionala dar, in cea mai mare parta a fost transformata in mici pravalii de suveniruri. Acest lucru nu a diminuat insa cu nimic frumusetea peretilor pictati.

 Barak-Khan Madrasah, sec.XVI

 dincolo de poarta

 femei iesind de la moschee

 detaliu stalp din ayvan

Pe Drumul Matasii in Uzbekistan 10. Muzeul de Arte Aplicate, Tashkent / On the Silk Road in Uzbekistan 10. The Applied Arts Museum, Tashkent

A museum which we visited as a group in Tashkent was the Applied Arts Museum. The building belonged to a tsarist Russian diplomat, Alexander Polovtsev, who used to be a traditional craftworks collector. He built this house to expose his collection. The museum was inaugurated in 1927. It is open daily between 9-17. The entrance ticket is aprox. 3$ and you have to pay an extra 3500 sum if you want to take photos.


The ayvan, an open traditional terrace is the first thing that draws attention when you enter in the courtyard.

Inside you may admire traditional silk and cotton textiles, men headgears, ceramics from different centres, embroidered coats, sculpted furniture but especially “suzani”. This means “needlework” and designates cotton pieces of different dimensions and use. Some of them are used to decorate the rooms by hanging on the walls. Suzani are from XVIII-th century but this art was revitalized nowadays due to the tourists interest. It is said that a girl was appreciated as a future wife considering her skills to make suzani. The motifs are mainly floral, but you can see also fruits or birds, the sun and the moon.
A beautiful room is the reception room, wonderfully ornated.

You must not escape the souvenirs little shops at the exit.


Un muzeu pe care l-am vizitat in grup in Tashkent a fost cel de Arte Aplicate.

Cladirea care il adaposteste se afla in partea ruseasca a orasului si a apartinut diplomatului rus (Rusia imperiala) Alexandru Polovtsev. Acesta era un colectionar de obiecte de arta populara, iar casa a fost construita special pentru a adaposti colectia sa. Muzeul a fost inaugurat in 1927. Ele este deschis zilnic intre orele 9-17, iar intrarea costa 3$. Taxa pentru fotografiat este de 3500 sum.

Ceea ce atrage atentia inca de la intrarea in curtea muzeului este terasa traditionala deschisa (ayvan), decorata cu nelipsitii stalpi sculptati si tavanul frumos pictat.

 ayvan

In muzeu se pot vedea tesaturile din matase si bumbac, cu modele traditionale:

acoperamantul barbatesc pentru cap:

ceramica din diverse centre:

haine frumos brodate:

cutii si lazi incrustate cu sidef si metal:

mobilier si usi sculptate:

dar mai ales o bogata colectie de "suzani". Acestea sunt tesaturi din bumbac, de dimensiuni mai mari sau mai mici, cu diferite intrebuintari dintre care se remarca decorarea incaperilor prin atarnarea lor pe pereti. "Suzani" inseamna broderie cu acul si se face cu fir de matase. Ele dateaza din secolul al XVIII-lea si utilizeaza mai ales motive florale (mai ales lalele si irisi) dar si fructe (granatul si migdala), mai rar pasari. Se spune ca mirii isi apreciau miresele dupa frumusetea si finetea acestor suzani.

 suzani

O incapere care atrage in mod deosebit atentia in cladirea muzeului este sala de receptii. Acesta are tavanul frumos decorat cu stalactite si pictat. Mobilierul uzbek pictat este din secolul al XIX-lea.

 sala de receptii

La iesire, cateva mici magazine cu suveniruri expun marfa de buna calitate asa ca nu trebuie ocolite nici ele.

 din magazinul de suveniruri