Medieval Bukhara had dozens of tim and tok (covered market buildings). Three tok survive intact, at intersections that were originally chosen for their commercial function:
- Toki Zargaron — Dome of the Jewellers. Still functional; goldsmiths and gemstone dealers under the domes.
- Toki Sarrafon — Dome of the Money Changers. Historically the currency exchange of the Silk Road, where 30+ regional currencies were bought and sold. Today mainly souvenir stalls.
- Toki Telpak Furushon — Dome of the Cap-Makers. Traditional Bukharan and Tajik headwear is still sold here.
A fourth dome, Tim Abdulla Khan (1577), is a covered silk market a short walk south of Toki Sarrafon. It has the finest architectural detailing of the four buildings.
Design brilliance: the intersecting-vault structure keeps interiors 8–10°C cooler than the summer street outside, without any mechanical ventilation. Air circulates by convection through the corner openings, which double as light wells.
Best shopping under the domes: suzani embroidered textiles, miniature paintings on paper or camel bone, hand-forged copper tea sets, karakul lambskin caps.
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