Uzbekistan : the Silk Road

the Silk Road

Š Frank GUIZIOU / hemis.fr

Feature

Uzbekistan :

Uzbekistan has well preserved relics from the time when Central Asia was a center of empire, learning, and trade. Uzbekistan cities including Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Shakhrisabz and Tashkent live on in the imagination of the West as symbols of oriental beauty and mystery. Ancient cities of Uzbekistan were located on the ancient Silk Road, the trading route between China and the West.

The route took its name from silk, the commodity most in demand in Europe from China during the Roman period. Turks came from the west and brought with them a new religion of Islam. Many mosques and Madrassahs were built in Uzbekistan cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva during this period, including remaining structures of the Samanids. Most of the cities were destroyed during the invasion of the Genghis Khan in 1220. His descendant Timur, known also as Tamerlane, resurrected once famous cities by using the labor of slaves and artists captured during successful crusades. Timur conquered Persia, captured Baghdad, and lead expeditions to Anatolia and India. Most of the architecture that is found in Samarkand was build by Timur and his grandson Ulugbek.

HEMIS_160049 : Uzbekistan, Khiva, Ichon Qala, the West door (or Ota Darvoza)

HEMIS_160063 Uzbekistan, Khiva, Ichon Qala, statue of Al Khorezmi

HEMIS_160108 Uzbekistan, Bukhara, Medersa Mir I Arab

HEMIS_160041 Uzbekistan, Bukhara, Kalyan Mosque, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO

HEMIS_160032 Uzbekistan, Bukhara, the Medersa Mir I Arab

HEMIS_160033 Uzbekistan, Bukhara, the Medersa Mir I Arab

HEMIS_160034 Uzbekistan, Bukhara, the Medersa Mir I Arab

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Uzbekistan, Bukhara, the mausoleum Bakhaouddin Nakhchbandi (Bakhaoutdin Naqchband)

Uzbekistan, Khiva, Ichon Qala, the minaret Islom Huja and the mausoleum Pakhlavan Mahmoud

HEMIS_160051 Uzbekistan, Khiva, Ichon Qala, Ramparts of the Old Town

HEMIS_160052 Uzbekistan, Khiva, Ichon Qala, panorama from the Kukhna Ark, view of the ramparts

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Uzbekistan, Khiva, Ichon Qala, the mausoleum Pahlavon Mohammed (Pakhlavan Mahmoud)

Uzbekistan, Khiva, Ichon Qala, Merdersa Mohammed Rakhim Khan and the minaret Juma

HEMIS_160057 : Uzbekistan, Khiva, Ichon Qala, the Tosh Khovli (Tach Khaouli) palace

HEMIS_160056 Uzbekistan, Khiva, Ichon Qala, the Medersa Mohammed Rakhim Khan

HEMIS_160062 Uzbekistan, Khiva, Ichon Qala, the Medersa Mohammed Rakhim Khan

HEMIS_160059 Uzbekistan, Khiva, Ichon Qala, Medersa Mohammed Rakhim Khan

HEMIS_160064 Uzbekistan, Khiva, Ichon Qala, panorama from the minaret Islom Huja

HEMIS_160065 Uzbekistan, Khiva, Ichon Qala, panorama from the minaret Islom Huja

HEMIS_160072 Uzbekistan, Chakhrisabz, the Dorous Siadat, the tomb of Jehangir

HEMIS_160066 Uzbekistan, Khiva, Ichon Qala, entrance of the mosque Juma

HEMIS_160075 Uzbekistan, the road between Chakhrisabz and Samarkand

HEMIS_160085 Uzbekistan, Samarkand, Reghistan, Medersa Chir Dor

HEMIS_160090 Uzbekistan, Samarkand, the Shah i Zinda necropolis

HEMIS_160088 Uzbekistan, Samarkand, the Reghistan

HEMIS_160096 Uzbekistan, Samarkand, the Shah i Zinda necropolis

HEMIS_160099 : Uzbekistan, Samarkand, Shah i Zinda necropolis

HEMIS_160101 Uzbekistan, Bukhara, Medersa Mir I Arab seen from the top of minaret Kalon

HEMIS_160104 Uzbekistan, Bukhara, the Medersa Mir I Arab

HEMIS_160102 Uzbekistan, Bukhara, Medersa Mir I Arab, seen down from the minaret Kalon

HEMIS_160110 Uzbekistan, Bukhara, the Ark fortress

HEMIS_160366 Uzbekistan, Khiva, Ichon Qala, the West door (or Ota Darvoza)

HEMIS_160384 Uzbekistan, Bukhara, the Medersa Mir i Arab

HEMIS_160371 Uzbekistan, Khiva, Ichon Qala, the Medersa Mohammed Rakhim Khan

HEMIS_160387 Uzbekistan, Bukhara, the mausoleum of Ismail Samani

HEMIS_160395 Uzbekistan, Bukhara, the Kalon mosque

HEMIS_160406 Uzbekistan, Bukhara, portraits of children

HEMIS_160400 Uzbekistan, Bukhara, a workshop of embroidery in the old town

HEMIS_160411 Uzbekistan, Chakhrisabz, bread saleswomen at the market of Tchorsou

HEMIS_160412 : Uzbekistan, Chakhrisabz, portrait at the Tchorsou market

HEMIS_160416 Uzbekistan, Chakhrisabz, the complex Khazrati Imam, the mosque

HEMIS_160426 Uzbekistan, Samarkand, painting of Babour, which proclaimed himself a descendant of Genghis Khan

HEMIS_160421 Uzbekistan, Samarkand, the market with the mosque of Bibi Bibi Khanoum in the background

HEMIS_160428 Uzbekistan, Samarkand, miniature

HEMIS_160433 Uzbekistan, Samarkand, the medersa of Ulug Beg

HEMIS_160439 Uzbekistan, Samarkand, the Gur Emir mausoleum

HEMIS_160438 Uzbekistan, Samarkand, the Shah i Zinda necropolis

HEMIS_160441 Uzbekistan, Ferghana valley, Marguilan, the market

HEMIS_160456 Uzbekistan, Ferghana valley, Margilan, the Yodgorlik silk factory

HEMIS_160460 Uzbekistan, Ferghana valley, Andijan, the market (bazaar)

HEMIS_160458 Uzbekistan, Ferghana valley, Margilan, the Yodgorlik silk factory

HEMIS_160463 Uzbekistan, Ferghana valley, Namangan, portrait of woman

HEMIS_160473 : Uzbekistan, Ferghana valley, Kokand, hot summer evening

HEMIS_160471 Uzbekistan, Ferghana valley, Kokand, in summer the children jump in the fountains

HEMIS_160477 Uzbekistan, Tachkent, remain of the soviet period

HEMIS_160475 Uzbekistan, Ferghana valley, Kokand, islamic education in the medersa Narbouta Bey

HEMIS_160481 Uzbekistan, Tachkent, downtown

HEMIS_160488 Uzbekistan, Tachkent, the entry of the subway Khalklar Dustigli

HEMIS_160498 Uzbekistan, Tachkent, the orthodox cathedral

HEMIS_160490 Uzbekistan, Tachkent, the mosque Juma in the old town