Situated in Uzbekistan on the ancient Silk Road trade route linking the East and the West, the ancient city of Bukhara is Central Asia's holiest city. Bukhara is known as a city-museum with about 140 architectural monuments, including numerous medresses, minarets, fortresses, mosques,teahouses and spice markets. The city center has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is one of the best places to catch a glimpse of pre-Russian Turkestan. Visitors can look forward to exploring a number of popular attractions such as the spectacular Ark of Bukhara, the city's oldest structure; the 47-meter-tall architectural wonder, Kalon Minaret; the exquisite Char Minar, a gatehouse of four beautiful towers showing Indian influence; and the Abdulaziz Khan Madrassah, home to the finest collections of Bukharian wood carving art.