Legend of Kalyan Minaret

Many legends are related with girls, which were put to death by the khan’s order.There are a lot of legends related to the tallest minaret in Central Asia: the Kalyan minaret, built in Bukhara. Kalyan Minaret means a Big Tower, but it has another name - the Tower of Death, because in the Middle Ages criminals were thrown off the top of the minaret.

One of such legends says that in the ancient times there was a shakh. He was cruel and wilful. He was a bad ruler and spent all his time in pleasures. The shakh had a wife who tried to help people and to improve the situation in the country. But she did it in secret. Once the secret was revealed and angry shakh ordered to throw his wife off the Tower of Death. But his wife was very clever. On the eve of execution she asked to fulfill her last wish. The shakh agreed.

On the day of execution she wore all her dresses and skirts and climbed the top of the minaret, carrying her head high. All people crowded around the minaret to give the last honors to their beloved ruler. A wise woman quietly stood at the edge of the minaret and jumped down. People stood breathless, but at the same moment someone in the crowd shouted: "Oh, wonder!" The woman did not die because when she jumped from the tower, her wide skirts had released as a parachute and resulted in the soft landing without any damages. Paying tribute to the courage and wit of his wife, Shakh forgave the woman and did not execute her.