Chashma Spring Complex

Chashma means spring, and the spring is the reason Nurata exists. Water rises here at a steady temperature of around 19–20 °C all year, feeding a pool and a channel that have watered the town and its gardens for more than two thousand years. The water is considered healing, and pilgrims come from across Uzbekistan to pray, drink and fill bottles to take home.

Legends

Several stories explain the spring. One tells of a meteorite falling here and a flash of light, the nur that gave the town its name, after which the water appeared. Another credits a saint, Nur-ata, the father of light, whose grave lies in the complex. These are legends, but the faith they inspire is very real.

The sacred fish

The pool is crowded with marinka, a fish of the carp family, which have been considered sacred for as long as anyone remembers. They are never caught, and visitors feed them with small portions of food sold at the site. Watching the dense, slow-moving shoals in the clear green water is one of the quiet pleasures of a visit.

The buildings

Around the spring stand the Juma mosque, whose prayer hall is covered by many small domes on columns, the Panjvakta mosque and a mausoleum venerated as the grave of Nur-ata, together with newer gardens and pilgrim facilities. Most of what you see dates from the 16th to the early 20th centuries, with recent restoration. Above the complex rise the ruins of the Nur fortress, a five-minute climb away.