Travel & Tourism in Uzbekistan - Tourist Sites in Uzbekistan

Bukhara is the city, which has been growing constantly at one and the same place beginning from the 4^th century BC. Bukhara preserves treasures of architecture of the pre-Mongol period. The total number of monuments is above 400. Bukhara is regarded the largest open-air museum in Central Asia.
"Bukhara-I-Sharif" - "Noble", "Holy" is one of the numerous epithets that were bestowed on this ancient city.
The word Bukhara originates in Sanskrit from the word "vikhara", meaning monastery. It is said to have had the best of monastic establishments during its Buddhist days.
Narshaki wrote "The History of Bukhara" in the 10th century. It gave rise to a legend, which names Siavush to be the founder of Bukhara. Siavush, a son of a Persian Shah murdered by Afrosiab, a king of Turan, was worshipped in antiquity as a god.

Archaeological researches and evidences of ancient authors testify that it existed already in the 5^th millennium BC, when the tribes of hunters and fishermen came to live in the lower reaches of the Zerafshan river.

In later history, the territory of Bukhara was a part of Achaemenid Persia, Alexander the Great Empire, the Seleucid domain, the Greek-Bactrian kingdom, the Kushan empire and the Ephtalites state, the Turkic kaganate, the Arabic caliphate, the empires of Jenghis Khan and Timurids, the Shaybanid state.
The much known history of Bukhara begins with the arrival of Arabs in the 8^th century AD. After the settling of Arabs and subsequent conversion of its indigenous population to Islam Bukhara took a new turn when the local dynasties were established. During the rule of Samanids in the 9^th century it was the best time for Bukhara. Later Bukhara fell to the Karakhanids and then to the rule of Khorezmshahs that is regarded as the era of great merits in arts and crafts. This was the time when great scholars like Avicenna, Al-Beruni and Narshaki contributed to the advancement of sciences and literature.

The invasion of Genghis Khan's Mongol hordes greatly destroyed the city and all aspects of life were disturbed for a long time. It was only during the later Genghisids and the Timurid dynasty that the city once again raised to its prominence. After a long series of wars and battles between the later Timurids in the 16^th century it became the place of reign of the Shaybanids, which lasted for a long time.
Under the Astarkhanid dynasty (17^th century), the Silk Road's decline slowly pushed Bukhara out of the mainstream.In 1740 the Persian King Nadir Shah conquered Bukhara. He left a local lord Muhammad Rahim as a governor in Bukhara. The governor proclaimed himself emir and founded the dynasty of Mangits.

It was the darkest period in the history of Bukhara. This dynasty ruled up to 1920 until the Bolsheviks came. The constant decay in ruling systems of Bukhara invited once again the foreign dominance with the result that the last emir had to run for his life's sake to the neighbouring country.

In 60-70s of the 19^th century Russia conquered Bukhara. Emir's army was weak and was not ready to fight against the Russians. In 1868 the army of Bukhara was defeated. Due to emir's desire, a peaceful treaty was signed, and Bukharan Khanate became the vassalage of Russia.

In 1920 Red Army troops captured Bukhara, the Bukhara People's Republic was proclaimed and it was absorbed in 1924 into the newly created Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic.

Bukhara City tour 01-Half-day

The Ark Citadel. This Royal town-within-a-town is the home of the rulers of Bukhara for over a millennium. The Ark is as old as Bukhara itself. The fortress was the focus around which the medieval town developed.
Bolo-Khauz Mosque (1712), opposite the Ark, it was the emir's official place of worship. The painted porch, supported by 20 columns was added in 1917.
The architectural ensemble of Poi-Kalon (Pedestal of the Great), the religious heart of Holy Bukhara, consists of the Kalon Minaret, Kalon Mosque and Mir-i-Arab Madrasah.
The Kalon Minaret (1127) is one of the defining symbols of Bukhara. The minaret is 9 metres in diameter at the foundation and grows slightly narrower at its 46-metre height. The minaret is exquisite not only in its magnificence but also for ornamental brickwork.
The Kalon Mosque is the biggest Friday mosque in Bukhara for 10.000 people, built in the 16^th century on the site of an earlier mosque destroyed by Genghis Khan.
The Mir-I-Arab Madrasah (16^th century) was built by Ubaidullah Khan (Shaybanid ruler) and named for a 16^th century well-known Sheikh Abdulla Jemeny. It was Central Asia's only functioning madrasah in Soviet times and the most prestigious educational establishment for centuries.
Covered Bazaars (trading city's cupolas - of the 15-16^th centuries) were among dozens of specialised bazaars in the town built at the junction of caravan routes. Four major cupolas of the building of merchants have survived in Bukhara. Toki-Sarafon (cupola of moneychangers), Toki-Telpak Furushon (cupola of the sellers of hats), Toki-Zargaron (cupola of jewellers), Abdullakhan Tim (a centre of silk sales).
The Ulugbek Madrasah (1417) is one of the three madrasahs built in Uzbekistan by Timur's grandson Ulugbek. Everything in it is characteristic of Ulugbek architecture: clarity of the design, excellent proportions and understated decorative details.
The Abdul Aziz Khan Madrasah is located opposite the Ulugbek Madrasah. The Astrakhanid Ruler of the same name began its construction in 1652, but the decoration left unfinished when he was driven away by the first of the Mangit emirs.
Magoki-Attori Mosque (12-16^th centuries) is one of the last remnants of a symbolic architecture of various periods and religions. Its cupolas are slightly above the level of ground because the building is deeply stuck in the centuries - old cultural layers. Under this mosque archaeologists found the bits of a 5^th century Zoroastrian temple wrecked by the Arabs, and an earlier Buddhist temple.
Lyabi-Khauz Ensemble is the heart of Bukhara. Lyabi-Khauz Ensemble shows that the Bukharan architectural traditions remain alive. A high-ranking official named Nadir Divan-Begi built it in 1620 and some parts of it are still well preserved - Nadir Divan-Begi Madrasah (1622), Nadir Divan-Begi Khonako (1620) and Kukeldash Madrasah (1568-1569).

Bukhara City tour 02 - Half-day

Samanid's Mausoleum (the family tomb of the Samanid Dynasty from the end of the 9^th- beginning of the 10^th century) is a pearl of the East with traces of Sogdian culture. It is one of the first monuments on the territory of Central Asia built from burned brick.
Chashma Ayub (the Spring of Biblical Job) Mausoleum was built in the 12^th century over a spring. Legend says Job struck his staff on the ground here and a spring appeared. Its middle domes were added in the 14^th century, the front one in the 16^th century.
Chor Minor (four minarets) is a monument of later period, built in 1807. Its four-domed minarets bear features of Indian style because it was built by for an Indian merchant.

Sitora-I-Makhi-Khosa (palace of Moon and Stars) is a summer palace (built by Russian architect in 1911) of Amir Alimkhan - the last ruler of Bukhara. The architecture of the building combines European and Central Asian styles. Now it is a museum with the good collection of items of that time. The entrance to the main exhibits opens with White Hall, the reception hall of the former Emir, decorated with excellent stucco carving on mirror background. Other halls of the palace are also worth seeing.
Bakhauddin Nakshbandi Ensemble is 12 km from Bukhara. This mazar (cemetery) was considered to be the main holy place of Bukhara and Khodja Bakhauddin Nakshbandi (1318-1389) was its patron. It was believed that a three times pilgrimage to his tomb was equal in significance to the pilgrimage to a far sacred Kaaba stone in Mecca. top

DJIZAK

Djizak is one of the important cities on the Great Silk Road with a very ancient history. Its name is translated as "key" or "small fort" from Sogdian. Before the Arab invasion it was one of the biggest cities of Ustrushana. Today it is one of provincial centres of Uzbekistan.

For nature lovers Djizak is a perfect resort spot among the Turkestan ranges, comprising southeastern part of the Golodny Steppe and the fringes of the Kyzylkum Desert. The Aidorkul water reserve adds to the beauty of this region, providing a temporary base for migrating flocks of birds to and from Siberia, using this place as a huge bird sanctuary in spring.

Full day excursion to Aidorkul Lake. Travel to the brims of the Kyzylkum desert area on camel back.
Nurata Nature reserve is known for its beautiful mountain scenery with Alpine forests of hazelnuts, birches and hawthorn thickets. It is a home for rich wildlife with wild sheep, bears, foxes, wolves, etc.
Tamerlane's Gates is the narrowest place in Pass of Jilonute in Turkestan Range. It has witnessed many bloody battles and has two inscriptions. One belongs to Ulugbek and another - to Abdullah Khan, Emir of Bukhara.top

FERGHANA VALLEY

The heartland of Uzbekistan, as the valley of Ferghana is known, is the densely populated part of the country with a majority of ethnic Uzbeks. Ferghana is the most fertile part of Uzbekistan, with large agricultural output. The Chatkal range of the Tian Shan in the north surrounds the valley, with the Pamir-Alai in the south from where the Syr Darya River starts flowing through the valley. So the region looks like a huge bowl. Ferghana valley is considered to be a big blossoming oasis of Central Asia. That�s why Ferghana Valley is called �The Golden Valley�.

The valley�s best-known son is probably Zaheruddin Mohammad Babur (Timur�s great-great-great grandson), the last Timurid and the first Moghul, the founder of India�s Moghul Empire in the 16^th century.

The valley of Ferghana was renown for its swift and intelligent horses, bred since ancient times. During the reign of emperor Wuti, Chinese are known to have sent several expeditions for acquiring the prized horses. The brisk trading on the Great Silk Road brought Ferghana into the limelight of history. The legions of Alexander the Great skirted the valley in the southern part and after subduing the land, he is said to have founded Alexandria Eskhata. Later on having withstood various ruling dynasties, the most flourishing period of the history of Ferghana opens with the settling of Mongol hordes grouped into various fiefdoms. The Khanate of Kokand became the base of powerful Uzbek clans with control as far as Yarkand in China. From the early 19^th century, the Khanate of Kokand expanded for beyond Ferghana into Central Asia�s third power. The powerful Khanate crumbled under the weight of its mismanagement with the Russians giving the final blow when it was incorporated into the territories of Tsarist Russia. The cities of the Ferghana valley were taken by the Tsar�s troops in 1876 with little effort and the Khanate was dissolved.

The Bolsheviks succeeded Tsarist colonisation in 1924.
The overall territory of Ferghana Valley is 77,900 square km with the population of 9 million people.
The valley of Ferghana is a home for several historical towns as follows:
Margilan: it is known for the best of Silk factory- Yodgorlik weaving the traditional methods.
Rishtan: is the pottery town for the traditional blue glazed floral designs.
Andijan: the city of Babur, his birthplace -the museum and house of Ark Icchi and the grand bazaar of Andijan.
Kokand: is the seat of Khanate - Palace of the last ruler Khudayar Khan.

Ferghana City is the administrative centre of Ferghana region. Its territory is 70 square km and the population is 230,000 people.

The history of the city dates back to 1877. It was decided to build a new city 12 km from the old town of Marghilan. Initially it was named as new Marghilan. In 1924 the city was named as Ferghana.

At present Ferghana is an important industrial centre of Uzbekistan. Regarding the capacity of production Ferghana stands on the second place in Uzbekistan after Tashkent.

Marghilan (1^st century BC). Marghilan�s best-known son is Zaheruddin Mohammad Babur, the founder of India�s Moghul Empire in the 16^th century. As legend says the name of Marghilan is linked with the invasion of Alexander the Great to Central Asia in the 4^th century BC Alexander the Great had passed the way from Khojand to Uzghen and back. During that campaign he visited twice the settlement that was long after named Marghilan. Local people met Alexander with bread and chicken. He liked the meal and asked about it. He received a reply: �Murginon� which meant �chicken and bread�. From that memorable day the town was named as �Marghilan�.

Since old days Marghilan has been famous for its wonderful and fine silk. Via the Great Silk Road traders brought Margilanian silk to Baghdad, Cairo and Athens.
Nowadays the population of Marghilan is 165,000 people with the territory of 50 square km. Marghilan is the silk production center of Uzbekistan.

The souvenir factory �Yodgorlik� still is the only one in Central Asia where original handmade methods of silk production have remained. Silk fabric manufactured here is considered as one of the best in the international market.
Rishton is 50 km to the west of Ferghana City. Since ancient times Rishton was famous for its ceramics. There are deposits of red clay, natural minerals and abundance of mountainous vegetation that is needed for painting process. Rishton artisans became famous all over the world for their technology of ceramic production.
Kokand City is situated in the western part of the Ferghana Valley and it was its capital from 1709 to 1876. The Great Silk Road had played a major role in the development of the city.

The territory of the Kokand Khanate included nearly the whole territory of present Uzbekistan. There were 29 khans in the history of the Khanate. The most outstanding ruler was its last khan - Khudoyar. From 1845 to1876, just before the annexation of the Kokand Khanate to Russia, Khudoyar-Khan was the ruler of the state.
Many mosques and madrasahs were built during Khudoyar-Khan�s reign.

Khudoyar Khan Palace - was built in 1860 -1872 in magnificent style with seven courtyards and 113 rooms. Only two courtyards and 19 rooms have survived. The Palace occupied four hectares. Tsarist troops blew up its fortifications. At present the palace houses the museum of history.
Narbutabey Madrasah - the largest religious school in Kokand, closed by the Bolsheviks in 1799, reopened again in the years of independence of the republic, instructing nearly 80 students.
Madari Khan Mausoleum - was built, on the main cemetery, in 1825 for the khan�s mother by the best architects of the Kokand Khanate.
Dakhma-i-Shokhon (Grave of the Kings) - was the family mausoleum of the Kokand khans, built during the rule of Umar Khan (1809-1822) who was also buried here. The mausoleum, as well as a prayer place, is surrounded by a beautiful fence. The entrance doors are decorated with carved inscriptions in Arab, taken from Koran, as well as verses written by Umar Khan himself. For a long time, the mausoleum was dilapidated and turned to ruins. In 1971 it was completely reconstructed by local handicraftsmen.

Andijan is situated in the southeast of the Ferghana Valley and is surrounded by high mountains and hills.
The history of the city goes back to the 9^th century AD. In ancient times the Great Silk Road passed through this town, which was known as the eastern gate of the Ferghana Valley. In the 10^th century Andijan was the part of the Samanids Empire. In 1483 Zaheruddin Babur was born here, and Andijan became the capital of the Ferghana State and its major Silk Road trading center. Later Babur had to go to Afghanistan and he ruled Kabul for two decades, then in 1526 he marched into Delhi and founded the Moghul Empire in India. The dynasty of the Babur's had ruled India for more than 300 years.
The Babur Literary Museum - is situated behind the bazaar, occupying the site of the royal apartments, where Babur lived and studied in Ark-Ic�hi, the town�s citadel that exists no more.
Juma Mosque & Madrasah - built in the 19^th century, is said to be the only building to survive the 1902 earthquake. It is also a regional museum with historical exhibits on display. top

In the north-western part of Uzbekistan, on the left bank of the Amu-Darya River, in the transition zone between the sultry deserts of Karakum and Kyzylkum lie the lands of ancient Khorezm oasis.

Khiva is an ancient city in the lower reaches of the Amu-Darya River. Khorezm�s agriculture and settlements go back to four, perhaps six, millennia. So, Khiva may be very old. The legend holds that it was founded when biblical Shem, the son of Noah, discovered a well here; the people called it Kheivak, from which the name Khiva is said to have originated.

But the archaeological data proves that the city already existed as early as the 6^th -8^th century. First it appeared as a stopping place and later as a caravan-saroi on the ancient trade road to the Caspian Sea and the Volga River. But while Khorezm prospered on and off from the 10^th to the 14^th centuries, its capital was at old Urgench (Kunya-Urgench). The changing moods of the Amu-Darya compelled the population of Kunya-Urgench to move to a more safer and habitable place and there was none but Khiva. In the 14^th century it appeared prominent among the towns of Khorezm. It became the capital of Khorezm in the 16^th century (the later more appropriately known as the Khanate of Khiva). For a very long time the local rulers were fighting against the tribal incursions from the neighbouring lands. The early years of the Khanate were racked by instability, infighting and invasion. In 1740 Khiva was wrecked by Nadir Shah, and Khorezm became for a while a northern outpost of the Persian Empire.

By the end of the 18^th century it began taking a small share in the growing trade between Russia and the Bukhara and Kokand Khanates. Khiva had a slave market, the biggest in Central Asia. At the beginning of the 19^th century Khiva developed into a prominent cultural centre. The Khanate spread from the Aral Sea to Merv. Expansionist Russian policy always threatened the very existence of Khiva, which was finally taken over in 1873. The enfeebled Khanate struggled on. However, the Khanate was fast approaching the end of its life and in 1920 the "Khorezm People's Republic" was proclaimed in its place. In 1922 the region gained promotion to a Soviet Republic and in 1924 joined the Soviet Union as a part of Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic.

The Ichan Kala - the heart of the city where most architectural and historical monuments are located. It is so-called �inner city� surrounded by a wall 2.2 km long. Ichan Kala with tall minarets and domed roofs surrounded by dwelling buildings represents rich traditions of popular oriental architecture: monumental shapes, fine carved pillars, doors and ceilings, original patterns, and bright and colourful majolica.
Mohammed Amin Khan Madrasah - is the biggest seminary of the city, erected in 1852-1855. Now it is a guesthouse for tourists.
The Kalta Minor or Short Minaret - was built in 1852 under one of the most ambitious projects of the ruling khan. It was intended to be the tallest minaret in the Islamic world, but abandoned in the wake of the khan�s death at 26 metres.
Kunya Ark - is the fortified citadel at the centre of the city, also the residence of the rulers of Khiva, a city within a city, first built in the 12^th century by Oq Shish-Bobo, and then expanded by the khans in the 17^th century. Archaeologists have conducted excavations on a one-hectare area under the citadel and found out that this territory had been settled on since the time of Khiva�s foundation. Kunya Ark comprises living quarters, a mosque, the palace of the khan, the residence of his harem, the mint, the arsenal, the stables and the jail.
Mohammed Rakhim Khan Madrasah (1871)
The Tomb of Sayid Allauddin - is the most ancient architectural monument of Khiva, Mongol-era 14th-century tomb of one of the Sufi masters. Pakhlavan Mahmud Mausoleum - is the most revered mausoleum of the city. Pakhlavan Mahmud, the Hercules of the East, a famous wrestler, poet, philosopher and Khiva�s saints patron. His tomb (1326) has some of Khiva�s loveliest tilework.

Khiva city tour 02 - Half-day

Shir Gazi Khan Madrasah - was erected in 1718-1720 by 5000 Persian slaves brought to Khiva from Meshed. The inscription above the entrance reads: �I accept death at the hands of slaves�. The slaves were promised freedom but soon it became clear that they would not live to see the end of the work. They killed the khan and even succeeded in capturing the city�s citadel.
The Islam Khodja Madrasah and Minaret - are the newest monuments of Khiva, both built in 1910. The minaret, 45 metres tall, is a stately, tapering pillar belted with sixteen decorative friezes. The madrasah houses Khiva�s best museum - the museum of handicrafts: fine wood carving, hand embroidery, carpets, household utensils, pottery, work, traditional Uzbek clothes are on display.
Juma Mosque - Friday mosque, once the khanate�s religious heart has 213 columns. The oldest columns are from the original 10^th century mosque; other 17 columns are of the 11^th-12^th centuries origin. The most recent mosque was built in 1788.
Tash Khauli (Harem) - was erected by Allakuli Khan between 1832 and 1841. It is the most beautiful architectural decoration of the city: ceramic tiles, carved marble, painted wood. It contains 163 rooms and 3 courtyards, the biggest courtyard being the Harem.

Around Urgench

Urgench is the capital of Khorezm province, 450 km northwest of Bukhara across the Kyzylkum desert. It's located between the Amu-Darya River (in the delta of the river) and on the border with Turkmenistan. The population is 130,000 people. Urgench is mainly a home for most tourists, somewhere to stay before going to Khiva, 35 km southwest.

The Amu-Darya delta, stretching from southeast of Urgench to the Aral Sea, has been inhabited for millennia and it was regarded an important oasis. Whenever irrigation canals were destroyed, stranded cities withered and died. The ruins of many Khorezmian towns and forts, some well over two thousand years old, still stand to the east and north of Urgench.
Toprak-Kala is 2000-years-old ruined city fortress grew up around the first century BC and became the capital of the Khorezm in the 3^rd and 4^th centuries. It was a fort and temple complex of the rulers estate with high walls, round towers and numerous rooms and halls. The city was abandoned in the 6^th century, when Turkic invaders upset the irrigation system.
Koi Krylgan Kala (30 km Southwest of Toprak Kala) is a circular fort, temple and observatory complex dating from the 4^th century.
Ayaz Kala (60 km far from Toprak Kala) - is an impressive mud-walled hilltop fortress of the 6^th and 7^th centuries.
Kyrk Kyz-Kala - is a fortress dating from about the 4^th century.
Guldursan Kala - is a fortress with huge city walls (12^th century) destroyed by the Mongol invasion in 1221. top

Kunya Urgench is about 143 km from Khiva. In its best days it was the bustling capital of Khorezm, known as Gurganj. It was a famous seat of learning during the reign of Khorezm Shahs. The prominent scientists like Avicenna, Al-Beruni and the traveller Ibn Battuta spent some time in Gurganj.

Genghis Khan, annoyed by the killing of his envoy and other nobles, set off on a punitive expedition in 1220 and almost erased the town to ashes. Later, Kunya Urgench was rebuilt and again became the capital of Khorezm and grew into one of the Central Asian major trading cities. In 1388 Tamerlane, considering the city as a rival to Samarkand completely destroyed it.

Turabek Khanum Mausoleum - was built in the middle of the 14^th century for Turabek who was a Mongol princess. Tall, twelve-sided sanctuaries, richer, even in decay, than anything in Khiva. The honeycomb decorations, tiles with brilliance of campanile and grape blue and an opal green. There are 365 sections, for the days of the year, on the sparkling mosaic; 24 arches, for the hours of the day; 12 bigger arches for the months of the year; and four windows for the weeks of the month.

Kutlug Timur Minaret -was built in the 1320s, while the mosque it attended had utterly gone. The highest minaret (67m) in Central Asia is decorated with bands of brick, now leaning noticeably.

Arslan II Mausoleum - is the oldest building in Kunya Urgench with 12-faced conical dome and the floral terracotta moulding on the facade.

Najmeddin Kubra Mausoleum - is the holiest place in Kunya Urgench. Najmeddin Kubra was a famous 12^th to 13^th century teacher and poet who founded the Sufi Kubra order. The tombs inside - one is for his body and one for his head, which were separated by the Mongols.

Sultan Ali Mausoleum - was erected in 1580 for Sultan Ali who ruled in Khorezm in the 16^th century. top

The Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan occupies 165,000 square km and is situated in the north-western part of Uzbekistan. The Amu-Darya River flows through the territory of Karakalpakstan. This region borders on Turkmenistan (in the south), on Khorezm province (Uzbekistan) and on Kazakhstan (in the north).

The population is more than 1.5 million people. The official language of the Republic of Karakalpak is Turkic, close to Kazakh and less so to Uzbek. Cotton, rice and melons are the main products. Life is not easy here, because today the age-old oasis of rivers, lakes, reed beds, forests and farmland that constitute the Amu-Darya delta has greatly dried up.

The capital of Karakalpakstan is Nukus, 1255 km from Tashkent, 166 km from Urgench. It has a population of only 180,000 people. Nukus was loped in 1932. It is in the Aral Sea region, which has been registered as the dustiest place on the planet because of ecological disaster. A former high security centre for the development of chemical weapons, it had been closed to foreigners entirely until the late 80s.

The Nukus Art Museum is named after Igor Savitsky. Created by an eccentric, fanatical collector Igor Savitsky, this highly unusual museum managed to preserve a world-class collection of the works of artists which otherwise would have been lost forever. The collector secured a huge set of samples of Soviet art of the 1920s and 30s, saving it from communist destruction. It is the second best gallery of Russian avant-garde in the world after the Russian Museum in St.Petersburg. There are 90,000 pieces in Savitsky's collection. It contains items executed in accordance with state approved socialist realism alongside with dissident; decadent art repressed and rejected by the communist regime.

The State Museum offers an interesting exhibition of the fauna and flora of the region. There are also displays on the Aral Sea and local health problems, on archaeology and ancient history. Samples of traditional jewellery, costumes, musical instruments and yurt decorations are excellent.

Muynak (the Aral Sea) - is 210 km north of Nukus, once the largest fishing port on the Aral but now it stands 40 km from the water. The port of Muynak poses as a silent witness to its death throes, the victim of a soviet crusade to overcome nature.

Ship's graveyard with dozens of deserted fishing boats smothered in sand is to the north of the town stretching for two km. top

Penjikent is an ancient city of Sogdiana. Sogdians lived not only in Sogdiana, with their capital city in Samarkand, but also far beyond its borders. Their settlements were scattered all along the Great Silk Road, from Byzantium to China. Sogdian scrolls have been found in northern India and western China. Sogdian culture reached its highest point in the early Middle Ages. In the 6^th-8^th centuries Sogdians acted as trade intermediaries between China and the Mediterranean countries. Sogdians travelled a lot and saw all the achievements of contemporary great civilisations, but failed to create their own unified strong state. Sogdiana was a sort of conglomerate of small city-states, one of which was Penjikent. Penjikent was founded in the 5^th century but abandoned in the 8^th century when Arabs conquered it. The ancient city has not been rebuilt since then.

Archaeological sites where numerous paintings on the walls of the palaces and temples dating back to the 5^th-8^th centuries have been discovered. The scholars have excavated and examined almost half of the settlement: a citadel containing the ruler�s palace, two temples with large yards, 12 main streets and 16 back streets, traders� stores, large workshops, bazaars and strong city walls.
Some findings are on display at the Rudaki Museum in modern Penjikent. The museum�s name arises from the claim that Penjikent was the birthplace of Abu Abdullah Rudaki, the Samanid court poet, the father of Persian poetry. top

Samarkand, the capital of ancient Sogdiana, is one of the oldest cities in the world, of the same age as Rome, Athens and Babylon. It is twenty-five centuries old. During those centuries the city has survived many great and dramatic events. Samarkand saw Saka and Massagets, Greeks and Macedonians, Karakitais, Arab commanders and hordes of Genghis Khan. Under Amir Timur�s governing Samarkand became the capital of his huge empire. The Great Silk Road went through the city. Famous scientists and poets of the Medieval Orient lived and worked in Samarkand.

Its geographical location in the picturesque valley of the Zerafshan River gave Samarkand (formerly also known as Maracanda) an advantage over other cities of Central Asia.

The exact antiquity of Samarkand is hard to establish. Originally Samarkand occupied the Mount of Afrosiab that rises to the north of modern Samarkand. The city grew and expanded its borders. It was one of the flourishing satrapies of the Achaemenid Empire from about 6^th century BC. Alexander the Great led his marching armies in 325 BC to assert his claim over the lost provinces of the Achaemenids. It took him quite a while to quell the Sogdian rebellion. Passing through the remnant of Hellenic Dynasties, Samarkand was captured by the Sassanids under whom the arts and crafts flourished.

After the invasion of Arabs in the 8^th century AD a new era of Samarkand began. The Arab assimilation with the local population gave rise to various new Muslim dynasties, the Samanids, Karakhanids, Seljukids and Genghisids. When the Mongols captured Samarkand the ancient water supply system was destroyed, and the life in the city collapsed. It took a whole century to recover from the after-effects of the Mongol invasion. The plundered and destroyed Samarkand was rebuilt on the site of one of its former suburbs.

During the reign of Amir Timur (Tamerlane) Samarkand enjoyed its best times serving as the capital. Tamerlane�s successive campaigns to Persia brought master craftsmen and builders to the area, who contributed to the glorious era when Samarkand was beheld bedecked with the most beautiful of monuments in the form of mosques, madrasahs, gardens and mausoleums. According to Timur�s idea, Samarkand was intended to overshadow all capitals of the world by its grandeur and beauty.

The grandson of Tamerlane, Ulugbek, ruled there until 1449 and made Samarkand the intellectual centre. However, the rise of nomadic Uzbeks spelt the end of Timurid power and Samarkand�s prosperity. When the Uzbek Shaybanids moved their capital to Bukhara, Samarkand was left doomed to decline until the Bukhara Emir repopulated it in the 1770s.

In May 1868 Russian Tsarist army overtook the city and Samarkand was linked to the Russian Empire. In 1924-1930 Samarkand was the capital of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic.

Samarkand City tour 01- Half -day

Registan Square, known from the 13^th century as a bazaar square was the centre of trade and cultural life in medieval Samarkand. It is surrounded by three madrasahs built in different periods.
Ulugbek Madrasah was built between 1417-1420 by order of Ulugbek, a grandson of Tamerlane. This monumental madrasah with portal decorated with five and ten-pointed stars and spirals of majolica was the greatest university of Central Asia in the 15^th century.
Shir-Dor Madrasah is the mirror attraction of Ulugbek Madrasah. Portal is decorated with mosaic tigers and gazelles. It was built in the 17^th century, 200 years after Ulugbek Madrasah was erected.
Tillya-Kari Madrasah (built 1660) is the third madrasah on Registan Square. It has a mosque with golden paintings inside. It was built by the order of ruler Bakhodir Yalangtush, 10 years after the Shir-Dor Madrasah.
Bibi Khanum Mosque, once the biggest mosque in Central Asia, it was erected by order of Tamerlane after his victorious Indian campaign in 1399. The architects, artists, craftsmen from all the countries conquered by Tamerlane took part in the construction of the mosque.
Shakhi Zinda Necropolis, a site of pilgrimage visited since the 11^th century and marked by holiness. It consists of about 20 mausoleums of different centuries built between 11^th - 19^th centuries. The complex appeared around the grave of Khusam ibn Abbas - the cousin of Prophet Muhammad who it is said to have come to Samarkand in the 8^th century. There one can see the finest samples of majolica, mosaic and terracotta tile work.

Samarkand city tour 02 - Half-day

Gur Emir, a mausoleum (1404-1420) in which rests Amir Timur and many other members of his dynasty, constitutes a perfect and fine sample of Timurid Architecture; simplicity and harmony of shapes and sumptuously decorated interior (papier-mâché painted in blue and gold).
Ulugbek's Observatory. In the outskirts of Samarkand on the hill of Khuhak there is located Ulugbek's Observatory (the 15^th century), with astronomical instrument, the sextant. In that observatory Ulugbek and other scholars had completed the famous �Tables of stars�.
Afrosiab Site & Museum. It is the area of 212 hectares mostly hilly surrounded by a moat. Here was situated ancient Afrosiab (old name of Samarkand). It had existed from the 6^th century BC till the 13^th AD. Now archaeologists here continuously conduct excavations. The museum displays: the model of ancient city and fortress walls, pottery, weaponry, coinage, altars and most of all the mural painting of the 7^th century.

Samarkand City tour 03- Half -day

State Museum of the Cultural History of Uzbekistan. The collection established in 1874 is extensive and well displayed. The ground floor houses modern paintings and early Soviet posters. Archaeological exhibits on the first floor include vessels and ossuaries (clay boxes for bones) from Afrosiab, plus fully painted copies of its fragmented murals and replicas of finds from ancient Bactria, such as the Kushan Ayrtam frieze, a limestone sculpture of an Indo-European culture. Other treasures are Tamerlane's wooden coffin and a 19^th-century Koran.
Khodja Abdi Darun and Birun Mausoleums. Shrine complex is associated with the name of 9^th-century Arab jurist Abd al-Mazeddin. Seljuk Sultan Sanjar erected this mausoleum in the 12^th century, rebuilt by Ulugbek in the 15^th century.
Ishrat Khana Mausoleum. Legend suggests one of the wives of Tamerlane built it as her tomb, but the construction was so beautiful that it became a palace. The name of mausoleum means the House of Joy.
Tomb of Daniel. The remains of the Hebrew saint were brought from Persia by Tamerlane and buried in Samarkand allegedly for protection of the city from different misfortunes. Above the grave there is a massive tombstone and it was believed that even in death Daniel grew half an inch every year (he will rise again when he reaches a certain size) and thus his grave was enlarged annually.

Imam Al-Bukhari Memorial Complex. Highly respected in the Islamic world scientist Imam Al-Bukhari was born in Bukhara in 810 and died in 870 in the village of Khartang and was buried at the same place (Chelak district of the present Samarkand province located 30 km from Samarkand). Since then the burial place has been one of the most sacred sites of worship for Moslems.
The Memorial Complex was created in 1998 to commemorate the 1225^th anniversary (according to the Moslem calendar) of Imam Al-Bukhari. top

Shakhrisabz (Green town) is a small town to the south of Samarkand, lying across the hills in Kashka-Darya province. This is Timur's hometown and once upon a time it had probably put Samarkand itself in the shadow.

In the early 7^th century Chinese Buddhist traveller Huen Tsang visited the Sogdian town of Kesh (Shakhrisabz). This city saw the Arab and Mongol invasions. By 1336, theyear of Timur�s birth, Kesh and its dependencies were his father�s patrimony (the Barlas clan). As Timur rose to power he gave it its present name and turned it into an extended family monument. In the reign of Timur Shakhrisabz became his residence.

But in the late 16^th century the Ruler of Bukhara destroyed much of the Timurid legacy. Shakhrisabz retained semi-independence from Bukhara till the 19^th century. In 1870 the Tsarist army stormed the town. While the Soviet era brought great change to the appearance of Shakhrisabz, the town has preserved a rich store of history in legends and architecture. One enjoys a relaxed Uzbek atmosphere in its mosques, teahouses and traditional homes.

Shakhrisabz city tour - Half-day

Ak-Sarai (literally the "White Palace", built in 1379-1409) is the greatest palace of Tamerlane built by artisans of Khorezm after he destroyed Kunya Urgench and dispatched its masters in 1379. Of this grandiose palace, there remain only the ruins of the 40 metre-high portal, flanked by two 50 metre-high towers covered with glazed bricks.
Dorut Tilovat (the House of meditation) is the 14^th century complex of Kok Gumboz mosque (1437), madrasah and mausoleums of Shamsiddin Kulol (1374) - a Sufic master, Amir Taraghay - Tamerlane's father and four Termez Syeds - descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. Kok Gumboz Mosque (Blue Dome) was completed by Ulugbek in 1437 in honour of his father Shah Rukh (Timur's son).
Dorus Siodat (Seat of Power and Might) is the family crypt of the Timurids with the graves of two sons of Tamerlane (Jehangir and Umar Sheikh) and Khazrati Imam Mosque of the 19^th century. top

Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and the largest economic and cultural centre of the country. At various stages of its long history, Tashkent was known as Shash, Chachkent, Shashkent and Binket. The name �Tashkent� is first mentioned in the works of Abu-Raikhon Beruni and Mahmud Kashgari (11^th century). Tashkent is the Uzbek word for �stone town�. How can we explain this name if in the construction of the city stone was rarely used? It was the hardness of the inhabitants more than once protecting their city from attacks of invaders that was compared by local people with a stone.

The territory of Tashkent makes up 260 square km. Tashkent is located in the north-east of Uzbekistan, in the picturesque valley of the Chirchik River which takes its source from the spurs of the Tian-Shan, at the height of 440-480 metres above the sea level. In clear weather snowy peaks of the Tian-Shan Mountains are visible. More than 2.3 million reside in the capital (approximately, 10% of population of the country).

The architecture of Tashkent is characterised by the mixture of modern and traditional styles of buildings. There is a green city with lots of fountains and parks. The vicinities of present day Tashkent record their chronology back to the 5^th century BC.

It passed through successive hands of numerous ruling clans. Its vivid record is mentioned through the 7^th century AD from the Scythians, the Sassanids and the Ephtalites.

A more authentic picture of Tashkent was drawn with the invasion of Arabs in the 8^th century. The city grew into an important trading post on the Great Silk Road, from China to the Mediterranean countries, when it was busting with commerce. As it was described in the annals there had been beautiful palaces among green gardens, temples and streets of craftsmen. In the capital craftsmen were engaged in metal processing, weaving cotton and woollen clothes, manufacturing of weapons, ceramics, jewellery.

It saw different dynasties of rules of which the prominent were the Samanids in the 9^th century and the Karakhanids in the 10^th - 11^th centuries. The invasion of the Mongol hordes in the 13^th century brought a short delay in the development of Tashkent. This continued until history reverted to the turbulent path of the later Genghisids and the grand Timurid dynasties (the 14^th - 15^th centuries) when Tashkent got its importance of a strong fortress. Its territory was extended, manufacture, trade, culture developed.

In the 16^th century the city was once more ransacked by an invader from the north - Shaybanid Khan, leader of the nomadic Uzbek Turks, who were to give their name to the whole region. Tashkent adapted to this new ruler and built up its wealth again. The city was a part of the State of Shaybanids as an independent principality of one of them, Suyunidj khan. During this period extensive building work was carried out. Monumental buildings as mausoleums, mosques, madrasahs appeared.

In the next centuries there were three states on the territory of Central Asia: the Bukhara Emirate, the Khiva and Kokand Khanates. Tashkent passed from hand to hand, from one khanate to another. In the second half of the 18^th century Tashkent was attached to the Bukhara Khanate. In the early 19^th century the Khan of Kokand conquered city. At that time due to growing commerce with Russia Tashkent turned into a prosperous trading city, one of the largest cities in the region.

In the 19^th century Tashkent was a Central Asian centre of trade with Russia. Looking for new markets, the Russians regarded Tashkent as the strategic key to Central Asia. In 1865 the Tsarist army captured Tashkent and the city as well as all Turkestan became the constituent of the Russian Empire. In 1867 the Governorate General of Turkestan with the administrative centre in Tashkent was formed. At the end of the 19^th century Tashkent was roughly divided into an old Asian and new Russian towns. After the Bolshevik revolution in 1918 the Republic of Turkestan was proclaimed. In 1930 Tashkent became the capital of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. Since 1991 Tashkent is the capital of Independent Republic of Uzbekistan.

The History Museum of the Peoples of Uzbekistan, the biggest of Tashkent's museums, contains 8,000 exhibits. The archaeological findings displayed in the museum, present the life of the peoples of Central Asia as well as the life of Uzbek people from ancient times up to the modern age.
The main city square Mustakillik (Independence Square) is an administrative and political centre of the city, where most of celebrations, national holidays take place.

Khazret Imam Square, is ancient square of the 16^th century, where are located the Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum, the Barak Khan Madrasah, Namazgokh Mosque and the Tillya Sheikh Mosque.
Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum of the 16^th century is a mausoleum of one of the first imams of Muslim world, who lived from 904 to 979 AD.
Barak Khan Madrasah was constructed in the middle of the 16^th century by the order of Barak Khan, the son of Suyunidj Khan, a founder of Tashkent Shaybanid dynasty. Nowadays it houses Muslim Religious Board of Uzbekistan, the administrative centre of the Mufti of Uzbekistan.
Tillya Sheikh Mosque (constructed in 1902) is a functioning mosque possessing a rich Islamic library with ancient manuscripts. The highlight of the library is the immense Osman Koran, one of the world's oldest copies (1200 years old).
Namazgokh Mosque built in the middle of the 19^th century, now it houses the Imam Ismail Al-Bukhari Islamic Institute.
The Square "Chorsu" is the centre of an ancient Tashkent. It appeared in the 11^th century and was a four-road junction, a place of trade.
The Kukeldash Madrasah, located on the square Chorsu, was built in the 16^th century in the reign of the Shaybanid dynasty, under the leadership of Kulbodo Kukeldash - the vizier. Now it is a primary school, which teaches the basics of Islam.
The Jammi (Friday) Mosque, nearby the Kukeldash Madrasah was erected in the middle of the 15^th century by influential Islamic leader Khodja Akhrar (1404-1492).
"Chorsu" bazaar - on the right of the square Chorsu, is the oldest city market, which was rebuilt according to the ancient style. It is picturesque, noisy and full of local colour.

The Amir Timur Museum, the newest Tashkent's museum is quite an impressive structure with blue ribbed dome and a richly decorated interior. Most of the displays are the models of Timur's and Timurids greatest building projects.
The Amir Timur Square is the centre of what was once known as the "new Russian city�. It appeared in 1883, when Russians first settled in Tashkent. Since then the Square has always reflected the ruling government�s policy at that time. At present a gigantic statue of Amir Timur (1336-1405) mounted on a horse stands in the centre of the square. However, it was not always so. Earlier to him the statue of Karl Marx and before him Joseph Stalin occupied the place. But it all started with the statue of Constantine Kaufmann who was the first Russian Governor of Turkestan.
The Theatre Square with the building of Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre is the city�s cultural centre. The architecture of the theatre, constructed in 1947, combines the European and oriental styles.
The Museum of Applied Arts was founded in 1937. One of the main attractions of the museum is the house itself, decorated in traditional 19^th century Uzbek style. The collection of the museum has on display items made by three generations of craftsmen and covering the entire range of folk art, plus items of the arts industry.
The Square of Friendship with a monument of the same name in front of the Palace of People's Friendship is a modern cultural city square.
The Abdul Kassim Madrasah, built in the beginning of the 19^th century is on the territory of the National Alisher Navoi Park. The cells of madrasah are occupied by craft workshops.

The Fine Arts Museum of Uzbekistan displays a fine collection of art of different epochs. Visitors can see the Zoroastrian artifacts, 1000-year-old Buddhist statues, and Sogdian mural as well as 19^th and 20^th century items.
Tashkent Metro is the only underground system of Central Asia with beautifully decorated stations.
The monument "Courage" is remembrance of the earthquake of 1966.

A half-day excursion to visit a sacred place, now known as Zanghi-Ata. It is situated nearby Tashkent on the old caravan route. This ensemble is a monument of urban art and architecture of different periods of medieval epoch and associated with the name of Amir Timur.

A full-day excursion to a mountain resort called Chimgan. It is situated on the south shore of the Charvak Reservoir, 80 km from Tashkent in the western region of the Tian-Shan mountain range. It is popular in spring and summer for its fresh air and picturesque landscape, mountains covered with green grass and blooming trees. During winter it is renowned as a favourite ski resort. top

Modern-day Termez bears few traces of its colourful cosmopolitan history. However, there are some ancient monuments and sites attesting to more glorious times.

Old Termez, the original, pre-Mongol city is 6 km northwest of the modern city.

The Hakkim al Termezi Mausoleum (10^th century), Mosque (12^th century) and Timurid Khonako (15^th century) grew up around the name of the patron saint of Termez, Sufi Abu Abdullah Mohammed-ibn-Ali-al-Termezi, nicknamed "al-Hakkim" (the wise). He was a ninth-century Sufi, jurist, mystic, philosopher and poet.
The Buddhist monastery complex of Kara Tepe is unique in Central Asia, a rock-hewn Buddhist cave complex. But it is not always available because an access there necessitating an official permission.
The Fayaz Tepe Site consists of the archaeological remains of the 2^nd century Buddhist temple and a monastery complex. The monastery was destroyed in the 5^th century by Sassanids troops and later was used as a burial ground.
Zurmala Tower (16 metre high) is situated 3 km southeast of old Termez. It is the 2^nd century AD remnant of the largest Buddhist stupa in the region.
Modern Termez, The Old Russian military fortress displays Soviet war machinery.
The History museum has a good collection of artifacts excavated from local archaeological sites.