Magoki-Attori Mosque

Overview

Magoki-Attori is one of Bukhara's most archaeologically significant monuments — a 12th-century mosque built six meters below modern street level on the site of a pre-Islamic Zoroastrian temple and Buddhist stupa. It now houses the Bukhara Carpet Museum.

Highlights

• Sub-Street Level: The mosque sits approximately six meters below the current street, revealing Bukhara's accumulated layers of history.
• Pre-Islamic Foundations: Archaeological evidence shows a Zoroastrian temple and Buddhist stupa once occupied this site.
• Carpet Museum: An excellent collection of Bukhara and Turkmen carpets, with explanations of weaving techniques and regional patterns.

History

The site has been sacred for over 2,000 years — first a Zoroastrian fire temple, then a Buddhist stupa, and finally a mosque from the 12th century onward. The name 'Magoki' means 'in a pit,' referring to how the city grew upward around it. The building was excavated by Soviet archaeologists in the 1930s.

Visitor Tips

• Tip 1: The descending staircase dramatically reveals how much Bukhara's ground level has risen over two millennia.
• Tip 2: The carpet museum inside is one of the best in Uzbekistan — don't skip it.
• Duration: 20–30 minutes.