Toki-Zargaron Trading Dome
Toki-Zargaron (in some sources "Taki-Zargaron") is the most extensive bazaar among the markets of Bukhara. It is located north of the other three famous shopping domes of the city, near the Poi-Kalyan complex. This majestic architectural masterpiece was built in the period from 1569 to 1570 during the reign of Abdullah Khan II of the Sheibanid dynasty.
Toki-Zargaron became the first such market point in the city, after Bukhara received the honorary title of the capital of a great state and became one of the important points on the Great Silk Road. The establishment of Bukhara as one of the key administrative, commercial and handicraft cities of Central Asia significantly contributed to the prosperity of trade domes. Their creation made it possible not only to organize wide trade, but also to relieve the central streets in order to make movement around the city as comfortable as possible. Toki-Zargaron was built on the site of chorsu, the so—called intersection of shopping streets and bazaars. Together with other monuments of Bukhara, the Toki-Zargaron trading dome is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as the "Historical Center of Bukhara".
"Toki" is the name of the domes of steep bazaars that were built at the intersection of several of the busiest streets. "Zargar" translates as "jeweler", so the dome of Toki-Zargaron was also called the "jewelers' trading dome".
Architecture
The building is designed in a style typical of Persian architecture. The dome is quite elongated, and the vertical edges of the building protrude strongly forward, outward. Around the central space under the dome were merchants' shops and workshops of local artisans. Small overlapping domes were also built above the galleries with shops and workshops, creating a multi-domed roof over the shopping malls. The galleries connected under the arch can be called medieval passages.
The diameter of the central dome of Toki-Zargaron is 14 meters.
The material used for the construction of the trading dome is ceramic bricks. Toki-Zargaron is the most complex in terms of construction and arrangement among other preserved indoor bazaars in Bukhara. The space inside is organized in such a way that it remains cool even on hot summer days. No decorative elements were used in the construction, as the most important thing was a constructive and efficient arrangement. Merchants' shops stretched from the dome to the Ulugbek madrasah.