The caravanserai at the foot of the fortress hill once served traders moving between Bukhara and the Pamir foothills. The squat brick building, with its central courtyard and ring of rooms, would have offered shelter, fodder for animals, and a place to do business.
The structure has been partly restored and is one of the few surviving caravanserais of this scale in Tajikistan. Stand in the courtyard for a moment and it is easy to picture pack animals, bundled goods, and the noise of a long-distance trading stop.