"Vabkent" minaret

The Vabkent Minaret was erected in the Karakhanid era. A surviving inscription on one of the decorative belts mentions Burhaniddin Abdulaziz II — the sadr of Bukhara — and the year 595 of the Hijra, corresponding to 1198–1199.

In its architectural composition, the minaret is close to the famous Kalyan Minaret in Bukhara. Its tall trunk, tapering upward, is built of fired brick and divided into decorative belts with various types of figured masonry and inscriptions.

The main function of the structure was to call the faithful to prayer. The minaret was also used as an observation and notification tower, from which residents could be summoned to hear important decrees. Today the Vabkent Minaret is one of the most significant surviving monuments of Karakhanid architecture in Uzbekistan.