Ismail Samanid Mausoleum, Bukhara

Ismail Samanid Mausoleum, Bukhara (Uzbekistan)

It is considered being one of the highly architectural works of Central Asia. It was built as a resting place for Amir of the Samanid dynasty along with the remains of his father and his nephew. the Samanids Mausoleum is of special interest. This world-famous architectural masterpiece was built at the close of the ninth century. The mausoleum was erected as a family crypt immediately after the death of Ismail Samanis father. Later Ismail himself and his grandson Hasr were also buried in it. It is interesting to note that erecting crypts was against Islamic law at that time for Islam forbade erecting any post-mortem monuments upon the tombs of Muslim believers. However the prohibition was broken in the middle of the ninth century by one of the caliphs himself for whom a special as-Suli-biya Mausoleum was built. Ismail merely followed his example.