UZBEKISTAN

Words: José Berrocoso

Photography: Jehu Molina www.uzbekistan.travel

Uzbekistan is a mysterious country of the East, where the history of cities gathered in legends, where the sun shines all year round and this reflects the unique nature and beautiful hearts of people. It’s the country of magnificent architecture and ancient traditions preserved a unique heritage.

Uzbekistan, a deserted landscape where timestood still or, that’s what everyone thinks! In reality, Uzbekistan is a well-developing country with beautifully-tiled mosques, palaces with detailed ornaments, tasty food with their fresh vegetables and fruits, a high-speed train network and best of all, some of the friendliest and welcoming people out there.

This undiscovered gem of Central Asia has a rich history due to its location on the legendary Silk Road. The great blend of the old and the new is a pleasant touch to the country. But why has Uzbekistan been so under the radar? Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva are three of Uzbekistan’s most famous destinations. On one hand, you have the grand Registan in Samarkand. On the other hand, Bukhara is home to some of Uzbekistan’s most intricate and important ancient buildings. As one of the dreamiest places on Earth, Khiva resembles an ancient sandcastle town. Think clay-colored houses and glittering minarets enclosed within gigantic fortress walls.

While the three are gorgeous, which should you visit? Read on to find out in this short guide of the top destinations in Uzbekistan.

Samarkand

The greatest poets and philosophers of the world have given the city many names – the garden of the soul, the pearl of the east, the mirror of the world and even the face of the earth. However, they was not be able to describe the beauty and richness of this beautiful city.The cultural heritage of Samarkand is quite large, for many centuries the city has been a key centre of the Great Silk Road. At the beginning of the XXI century, the city was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List under the name “Samarkand – Crossroads of Cultures”.

Having visited the city, you will be surprised with the number of historical monuments located here. We will try to show you the most popular attractions, which are certainly worth seeing!

Did you know that Samarkand is the same age as such ancient capitals of the world as Rome and Nanjing? Yes! The city founded about 2,750 years ago, which gives it the right to be called one of the most ancient cities not only in Central Asia, but in the world as well. The peak of prosperity of the city falls on the reign of Amir Temur (Tamerlane) and his descendants. At that time, Samarkand became the capital of his mighty empire.

There is a legend about how Temur has chosen his capital. In order to make a choice, he ordered his subjects to ride through all the cities and hang a ram carcass on their gates and a month later personally bypassed them. At all the gates, the carcasses decayed, and only at the gates of Samarkand, it was almost completely intact and even became wilted. Had seen this, Temur said: “This city has the cleanest air and healthy land. The capital will be here”! Tamerlane’s grandson, Mirzo Ulugbek, made this city the centre of world science. Samarkand was included in the List of “50 cities worth visiting in this life”.

BUKHARA

Bukhara is one of the most ancient cities of Uzbekistan, situated on a sacred hill, the place where sacrifices were made by fireworshippers in springtime. This city was mentioned in a holy book "Avesto". Bukhara city is supposed to be founded in the 13th cent. B.C. during the reign of Siyavushids who came to power 980 years before Alexander the Great. The name of Bukhara originates from the word "vihara" which means "monastery" in Sanskrit. The city was once a large commercial center on the Great Silk Road.

Bukhara lies west of Samarkand and was once a center of learning renowned throughout the Islamic world. It is the hometown of the great Sheikh Bakhouddin Nakshbandi. He was a central figure in the development of the mystical Sufi approach to philosophy, religion and Islam. In Bukhara there are more than 350 mosques and 100 religious colleges. Its fortunes waxed and waned through succeeding empires until it became one of the great Central Asian Khanates in the 17th century.

Bukhara with more than 140 architectural monuments is a "town museum" dating back to the Middle Ages. 2,300 years later, ensembles like Poi-Kalyan, Ismail Samani Mausoleum, Ark, LyabiKhauz are attracting a lot of attention. The city consists of narrow streets, green parks and gardens, historical and architectural monuments belong to the different epochs, but locate very close to each other.

Khiva

If you visit Uzbekistan, Khiva is a city that you shouldn’t miss. It has many architectural vestiges of the past and so much history. Within the framework of the XI session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Baku, Khiva was declared as the tourist capital of the Islamic world in 2024!

Khiva is a museum city that impresses with its tranquility. No wonder it is considered the pearl of Uzbekistan, located in the desert. Once the caravans of the Great Silk Road passed here. Khiva was also the capital of the Khanate of Khiva. Once in Khiva, you will find yourself in a real medieval city, where the spirit of modernity is given out only by electric wires. Cobbled streets, clay mosques, elaborate patterns and majestic fortress walls will impress even the most advanced tourist. The entire old town is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Ichan-Kala is the Khiva point of attraction. This is an ancient fortress surrounded by a high defensive wall. Ichan-Kala occupies 26 hectares. Today, about 300 families live here, most of whom are hereditary artisans. The state Historical and Archaeological Museum-reserve is located on the territory of the fortress. All the significant attractions of Khiva are located in Ichan-Kale. The construction of the fortress began in 1598. Most of the buildings that have survived to the present day were built in the XVIII-XIX centuries, but there are also earlier ones. Scientists suggest that Ichan-Kala stands on an old fortification, which was located here in the V century.

The Kalta Minor Minaret (Kalta Minar) is perhaps the most iconic landmark of the city. Translated from Uzbek, "kalta minor" means "short minaret". According to the plan of the initiator of the construction, Muhammad Amin Khan, the height of the minaret was to reach 70-80 meters, which would make it the highest in the Muslim world. But in 1855, when the height of the minaret was at around 29 meters, the construction was stopped. Historians say that this is due to the death of Muhammad Amin Khan. The minaret was decorated with blue, green and white majolica and tiles. Today, Kalta Minor is one of the most beautiful minarets in Central Asia.

The madrasah of Muhammad Amin Khan was built in 1855. It is located near the Kalta Minor minaret. The construction of the madrasah was carried out simultaneously with the construction of the minaret. The initiator of the construction of the spiritual educational institution was Muhammad Amin Khan. This is the largest madrasah in Khiva. It is also decorated richer than the rest. There were 125 cells, in which 260 students lived. The peculiarity of the cells lies in their duality. Today, a hotel and a cafe are located in the building of the former madrasah.

Khiva serves traditional Khorezm cuisine – shivit-oshi and tukhum-barak. Shivit-oshi is green noodles made from dill dough and combined with red vegetable gravy. Tukhum-barak is a kind of dumplings stuffed with raw egg, which "seizes" when cooking.