Kalyan Minaret is the tallest and most iconic landmark in Bukhara at 47 meters high, built in 1127. The name means 'great' in Persian and it lives up to it. The minaret is decorated with 14 bands of brickwork in different geometric patterns, each band featuring a unique design. According to legend, Genghis Khan was so impressed by it that he ordered it spared when he conquered the city in 1220. Visitors can climb 105 steps to the viewing gallery for panoramic views over the old city. At night, the entire Po-i-Kalyan complex is beautifully illuminated.