Kalyan Minaret was an observation tower and during the Bukhara Emirate the place for public executions. Many legends are linked to this grand construction such as the story of the master builder who prepared the foundation of alabaster and camel's milk and then disappeared for two years, starting the brick work only after the base was firmly dried.

There is a brick spiral staircase that twists up inside around the pillar, leading to the landing in sixteen-arched rotunda - skylight, which based on a magnificent stalactite cornice (sharafa).