Several generations of Mosques were built in this area south of the Ark Fortress from 713 AD onwards.  When Genghis Khan came along in 1220 he destroyed the one that had been built in 1121 by the Karakhanid ruler Arslan-Khan.  The only structure left standing by Genghis Khan in that attack was the Kalyan minaret, supposedly because the Mongol leader was greatly impressed by the structure.  Maybe he also wanted to maintain the tradition that led to the minaret's sobriquet of 'Tower of Death': for centuries criminals were executed by being thrown from the top!

The first known place of worship at this location was in pre-Islamic times: it is said that there was a cathedral for fire worshippers.  The first main cathedral mosque was built in 713 and many, many more were built and then razed, restored after fires and wars and moved from place to place.

Aside from the Kalyan Minaret the two main buildings in the complex that face each other across the square are the Kalyan Mosque completed in 1514 and the Mir-i Arab Madrassah completed in 1536 and credited to Sheikh Abdullah of Yemen. 

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