Bukhara has a lot of most interesting attractions, but Lyab-i Hauz occupies a particular place among them. For centuries its pond was the main source of water for the citizens of Bukhara, as well as a marketplace, so Lyab-i Hauz may be rightly considered the heart of the city, the center of city and public life.
If you think about the summer heat and extreme density of the buildings of the ancient Bukhara, you can understand that a city pond of large area couldn’t but become the center where the citizens could come and have a comfortable rest from the day`s heat. Near at were the buildings of Bukhara market, so Lyab-i Hauz always was and still is a very popular place.
Lyab-i Hauz is translated as «By the pond». The pond itself was sourced by surrounding aryks and was the biggest one in Bukhara. Its area is 42х36 m, and its depth is - 5 m. It was from this pond that water carriers took water and delivered it to the central districts of the city.
On the northern shore of Lyab-i Hauz is located one of the largest madrasahs of Bukhara – Kulkedash Madrasah, which dates back to as far back as 1568. Almost at the same time as the pond appeared on its shores there were built the madrasah and хоnаqоhi (praying-house) of Dеvоnbеgi.
The madrasah and хоnаqоhi, as well as the pond, were given the name of Devonbegi, as they were built by this family during 1619-1621. At first the madrasah was a caravansary, by later the Sufis advised to convert it into a religious building. The Dеvоnbеgi хоnаqоhi was the place where the Sufi sheikhs meditated and prayed.
Today Lyab-i Hauz is considered to be one of the main attractions of Bukhara, alongside with the Ark Citadel and the architectural complex Poi Kalyan at the center of the city, as well as the suburban summer palace of Sitorai Mohi Hosa, Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Necropolis and Chor Bakr Necropolis.
