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The Trading Domes of Bukhara: 16th-Century Bazaars Where People Still Trade

Most of Bukhara's monuments became museums long ago. These did not. Under domes raised five hundred years ago at the forks of the trade roads, people still sell carpets, knives and spices. This isn't a reconstruction of the Silk Road — it's the Silk Road itself, never closed.

A Kvazar guide · Updated 2026 · ~8 min read

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In the heart of old Bukhara, the trading streets cross beneath massive brick domes — these are the toki, the covered domed bazaars built at road junctions back in the 16th century. They were designed so the dome would give shade and cool air, and caravans from all along the Silk Road could trade year-round. Remarkably, trade still goes on under these vaults today. This guide covers which domes survive, what's sold beneath them, and why this is one of the most alive places in the city.

In short: Bukhara's trading domes (toki) are covered domed bazaars of the 16th century, set at the intersections of the trading streets. Four main ones survive: Toki Zargaron (the jewelers' dome), Toki Telpak-Furushon (the hat-sellers' dome), Toki Sarrafon (the money-changers' dome) and Tim Abdulla-Khan (textiles and silk). Each specialized in its own goods. Today crafts and souvenirs are still sold under the domes — it's both a sight and a working market.
In this guide What the toki are Why a dome over a bazaar Toki Zargaron — jewelers Telpak-Furushon & Sarrafon Tim Abdulla-Khan — silk How to visit & haggle FAQ

What are the trading domes of Bukhara?

They are covered domed bazaars (toki in the Bukharan term), set in the 16th century at the crossings of the old city's main trading streets. Several streets met beneath a massive brick dome, with shops arranged around it. Each dome specialized in a particular kind of goods. Four main ones have come down to us: Toki Zargaron, Toki Telpak-Furushon, Toki Sarrafon and Tim Abdulla-Khan.

Bukhara sat on a key stretch of the Silk Road, and most caravans from China to Europe passed through it. The trading domes were the infrastructure of that trade — the covered "shopping centers" of their time.

Today they form a single pedestrian axis through the center of the old city: moving from one dome to the next, you are in effect walking down a medieval trading street.

Why build a dome over a bazaar?

The dome solved two problems: it protected trade from the scorching sun and winter weather, and it kept the space cool. Thick brick walls and a domed structure with small light openings hold shade and a pleasant temperature even in great heat. So trade under the toki could go on year-round — a major advantage for a city on the caravan route.

Light enters through openings cut into the domes, creating a soft, diffused glow. Even in the fiercest heat it is noticeably cooler under the domes than out on the open street — an engineering solution five hundred years old.

What is Toki Zargaron known for?

Toki Zargaron — the "jewelers' dome" — is the largest of Bukhara's surviving trading domes, built in the 16th century (around 1569–1570). As the name makes clear, jewelry was traded here. It stands almost at the geometric center of the old city, beside the Poi-Kalon ensemble and the kosh madrasas of Ulugh Beg and Abdulaziz-Khan. Inside is a grand central vault.

Zargaron held dozens of jewelers' shops and workshops. Today jewelry and metalwork are still sold under it, so the specialization has largely carried through the centuries. It's a convenient starting point for a walk through the trading domes.

What was sold in Telpak-Furushon and Sarrafon?

Toki Telpak-Furushon — the "hat-sellers' dome" — traded skullcaps (tubeteikas), fur hats and shawls (and originally, by tradition, books). Toki Sarrafon — the "money-changers' dome" — was where the sarrafs, the money-changers and moneylenders, exchanged the currencies of merchants from all over the world, with household goods, textiles and carpets traded too. Each dome was a separate "department" of one great market.

This specialization is a defining feature of the Eastern bazaar: every kind of goods has its place. The money-changers of Sarrafon were in effect the medieval "exchange bureau" of the Silk Road — without them, international trade simply would not have worked.

Today the boundaries of those specializations have blurred, and everything is sold under the domes — carpets, miniatures, knives, textiles, souvenirs — but the names preserve the memory of the old order.

What is Tim Abdulla-Khan?

Tim Abdulla-Khan is a covered domed arcade of the 16th century (around 1577) that specialized in textiles, and above all in precious Chinese silk. Its hallmark is the carefully managed light through openings in the domes and the coolness inside in any weather, which mattered for storing and displaying fabrics. It is one of the most atmospheric of Bukhara's trading domes.

It's said that this is where you could buy the rarest bolts of silk brought by caravan from China. The soft light and cool air made ideal conditions for a buyer to examine and judge a fabric. Today Tim Abdulla-Khan is still a place for trading carpets and textiles.

How do you visit the domes, and should you haggle?

The trading domes are seen as you walk through the center: they stand on a single axis and run one into the next. No "ticket" is needed — these are streets with shops. Haggling here is not only allowed but expected: the first price quoted is usually inflated, and calm, friendly bargaining is part of the local culture, not a conflict.

Tip: first walk through the domes without buying, to get a sense of the range and the level of prices, and only then come back for what caught your eye. And remember it's cool under the domes — a welcome break on a hot day.

Frequently asked questions

What are the trading domes of Bukhara?

Covered domed bazaars (toki) of the 16th century, at the intersections of the trading streets. Four survive: Toki Zargaron (jewelers), Telpak-Furushon (hats), Sarrafon (money-changers) and Tim Abdulla-Khan (textiles and silk).

Why was a dome built over the bazaar?

To shield trade from sun and weather and to keep the space cool. Thick walls and a dome with light openings hold shade and a comfortable temperature even in heat, allowing trade year-round.

Which dome is the largest?

Toki Zargaron, the "jewelers' dome," built around 1569–1570. It stands almost at the center of the old city, beside Poi-Kalon, and has a grand central vault.

What is sold under the domes today?

Carpets, textiles, jewelry, miniatures, knives, skullcaps and souvenirs. The old strict specialization has blurred, but the domes' names preserve the memory of it.

Can you haggle in the trading domes?

Yes — bargaining is expected here and is considered part of bazaar culture. The first price is usually inflated; calm, friendly haggling is normal practice.

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