Ismail Samani Mausoleum is a unique architectural monument. According to the legend it was raised by Ismail Samani, the founder of Samanid state, over the grove of his father. Later on the mausoleum became a family shrine of the Samanids: there was Ismail himself buried, and later was his grandson as well. The mausoleum is made in the shape of cube, which is completed by the dome on octahedral drum. All of its four fronts are the same. There's a separate entrance to the shrine on each side, but the main one is the eastern entrance. The walls of the construction, slightly slanted, are decorated with burnt bricks both from inside and outside, which is made with superior skills. Light-and-shade play on the fronts makes an impression of lightness and tracery. The construction preserves its original appearance and is one of the outstanding pieces of world architecture.