Also know as the Minara-i Kalyan (meaning "Grand Minaret" in Persian), the minaret is an impressive structure. Standing almost 150 feet high, and a 30 foot diameter base, the minaret is likely one of the tallest, if not the tallest, structure in Central Asia. It was built in 1127 by the Karakhanid ruler Arslan Khan, and for centuries was also known as the "Tower of Death", owing to the fact that many public executions were carried out by hurling the condemned off the top of the tower.