Minaret in Vobkent (also included in both serial nominations “Silk Roads Sites in Uzbekistan” and the listed “Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor”) is a 40 meters-high minaret dating from 1196, richly decorated to symbolize the power of the rulers, and serving for calling prayers but also as a lighthouse for travelers.
Full screen map of Minaret in Vobkent (On tentative list - Uzbekistan)
I visited this tentative WHS in June 2017. I combined this visit with a visit to Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace which is on the way to Vobkent and worth visiting if you have extra time to spare in Bukhara.
The minaret of Vobkent is similar to the one in Bukhara. It is slimmer and stands tall without any other religious structures nearby. It is a very worthwhile stop if travelling to Bukhara from Samarkand by car or a pleasant half day trip from Bukhara combined with the Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa Palace or one of the outer madrasas of Bukhara. It is in a very good state when compared to the taller minaret in Konya Urgench, Turkmenistan but I don't think it stands a chance of inscription any time soon.
