A Madrasa's Mislabeled Gatehouse
The structure known as Chor-Minor, which translates from Persian to "Four Minarets," is one of Bukhara's well-known buildings. Built in 1807 by Khalif Niyaz-kul, a wealthy merchant of Turkmen origin, its name is a fundamental misnomer. The four pillar-like towers topped with sky-blue domes are purely decorative and were never intended to function as minarets for the muezzin's call to prayer. They lack the internal staircases and upper galleries characteristic of true minarets.
This building was actually the gatehouse (darvazakhana) for a large madrasa, an Islamic educational institution, that no longer exists. The main complex of the madrasa, which included student cells and other facilities, was demolished during the Soviet reconstruction of Bukhara in the 20th century. What remains today is this ornate entrance, part of a much larger whole. The central building connected to the towers was a mosque and a zikrhona—a place for Sufi ritual ceremonies involving chanting and music, aided by the room's good acoustics. The towers themselves served more mundane purposes. Three were used for storage, while the fourth contains a staircase that provides access to the second-floor rooms, which may have housed an extensive library.
Deconstructing the Symbolism
The four towers of Chor-Minor are interpreted in many ways, though none are definitively proven. The popular hook for this location suggests a scientific function: that the towers' different heights correspond to different Islamic schools and that light angles create a sundial for prayer times. There is no historical or architectural evidence to support this claim. Islamic prayer times are determined by the sun's position, and while sundials were used in the Islamic world, the design of Chor-Minor does not align with known gnomonic principles.
The towers are likely symbolic. Each tower is finished with a unique decorative pattern. One theory suggests the patterns represent the four main Sunni schools of Islamic law. Another interpretation is that the motifs show the four major religions known to Central Asians, with elements resembling a Christian cross, a fish, and a Buddhist prayer wheel alongside Islamic and Zoroastrian designs. Other theories propose the towers symbolize the four ruling dynasties of Bukhara or were dedicated to the patron's four daughters. The building's overall design is unique in Central Asia and was likely modeled after the Charminar monument in Hyderabad, India, which Khalif Niyaz-kul is thought to have visited.