Visit Uzbekistan Special issue

IN COOPERATION WITH THE EMBASSY OF UZBEKISTAN IN BENELUX COUNTRIES AND LET’S DISCOVER TRAVEL JOURNALISTS

VISIT UZBEKISTAN WIDEN YOUR HORIZONS Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the Benelux Countries Av. Roosevelt, 99 1050 Brussels, Belgium ÀƵǶ‫עע צצ נץפشנٌנס ب‬ IƊɮ‫פע קס נץפشנٌנס ب‬

0ٌǿƊǞǶ‫ ب‬ƵǿƦƊȺȺɯ‫ۊ‬ɐɹƦƵDzǞȺɈƊȁ‫خ‬ƦƵ àƵƦȺǞɈƵ‫ ب‬ɩɩɩ‫خ‬ƦƵǶǐǞɐǿ‫خ‬ǿǏƊ‫خ‬ɐɹ‫ش‬Ƶȁ Facebook: UzbEmbBenelux ÀɩǞɈɈƵȲ‫ۊ ب‬ÇɹƦ0ǿƦ ƵȁƵǶɐɮ XȁȺɈƊǐȲƊǿ‫ۊ ب‬ɐɹƦƵDzǞȺɈƊȁǞȁƦƵǶǐǞɐǿ

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Founded by

Editor-in-chief Dinara Dultaeva Editor Megan Eaves Project Manager Sabina Odinayeva Graphic designer Barot Rakhmatov Avazbek Abduraimov Sales & Distribution Zafar Anvarov

This special edition of Visit Uzbekistan magazine is dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Uzbekistan's Independence Day. Here you will have a great opportunity to find out about the achievements in tourism, explore international relations through the prism of the Benelux Countries Embassy and discover the new developing Uzbekistan.

27 years of diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and the European Union has proved that both sides are very good partners. Moreover, in April 2021, the EU-Uzbekistan Friendship Group at the European Parliament was formed.

The Group is dedicated to raising awareness and fostering closer economic, political, and cultural links between the nations of Europe and Uzbekistan.

To learn more on bilateral cooperation and plans, we offer you to read the interview with the Benelux Countries Ambassador (p. 8). In this issue, we collected for you some interesting facts about Uzbekistan: interview with the Deputy Prime Minister, the Minister of Tourism and Sports (p.12), an overview of some of the sights from Uzbekistan Tourism Ambassador (p. 20), and Tashkent metro from the viewpoint of travel journalists (p. 28). For a closer look at the country, read our ‘Uzbekistan through four seasons’ article and note the best time to travel around the country (p. 30).

Beautiful Fergana Valley is in the focus of our magazine with such cities as Kokand, Margilan, and Rishtan (p. 22) – must-visit handicraft itineraries of Uzbekistan where you can purchase ceramics, textiles, and more. In addition, it is worth tasting local delicious fruits grown under the favourable sun (p. 42).

On the gastronomy side, we want to share the column about street food with some Uzbek delicacies (p. 34). The development of wine industry gives additional opportunity to plan a wine-tour to Uzbekistan, and, as a teaser, we introduce you one of the oldest place – Khovrenko Winery in Samarkand (p. 50).

I hope you will enjoy travelling virtually with us through these pages, and the articles will help you plan your real visit to Uzbekistan as soon as you can.

Dinara Dultaeva

PR Department Ekaterina Ustinenko Contributors Luiza Makhmudova,Gulnoza Ismailova, Dmitriy Kostyushkin, Sophie Ibbotson, Odina Ulugbekjanova, Sabina Odinayeva, Dilnavoz Abdurahmonova, John Reinhard, Kamola Makhmudkhodjaeva, Lalita Rassovskaya, Valeriya Galikhanova, Alexander Fedorov.

Photography Feruz Rustamov, Andrey Arakelyan, Mukhiddin A Lee, Kamoliddin Zaidov, Marleen Tutenel Visit Uzbekistan magazine 2021, №30 Official partner The Ministry of Tourism and Sports

Dinara Media Relations PC Dinara&Co. Trademark Tel.: +998 (93) 500 55 65 www.dinara.co info@dinara.co The magazine is registered by Press and Information Agency of Uzbekistan on 12.05.2017.

Registration number №0915 ISSN 2181-9254 Published in partnership with LET’S DISCOVER Travel Journalists Wijvestraat 126 – 3520 Zonhoven, Belgium and Maximum Exposure Ltd Craigleith, Bowerchalke, Salisbury, SP5 5DB, United Kingdom All rights reserved. © Dinara&Co. © Dinara Dultaeva

Dinara UZ

@dultaeva

dultaeva

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CONTENTS

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

ISSUE NO. 30

8 INTERVIEW: Uzbekistan and Benelux Countries: Partnership and Steps forward Interview with Ambassador of Uzbekistan in Benelux Countries

10 EVENT: Elections About the next Presidential election in Uzbekistan

22 JOURNEY: Travels beyond Samarkand An overview of some of the sights from Uzbekistan Tourism Ambassador

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CONTENTS

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

ISSUE NO. 30

30 VISIT: Chorsu Bazaar Discovering ethnic and cultural identities through the local bazaar

38 Heritage: Crossroads of Religions Ancient Cults and Traditional Beliefs

IN COOPERATION WITH THE EMBASSY OF UZBEKISTAN IN BENELUX COUNTRIES AND LET’S DISCOVER TRAVEL JOURNALISTS

COVER Photo source: Snowscat on Unsplash Venue: Khiva, Uzbekistan

UZBEKISTAN

VISA-FREE AND SAFE TRAVEL The Visa-Free Countries for Uzbekistan have been allowed different periods of exceptions such as 90-day stay, 60 days, and 30-days stay.

90 DAYS: GEORGIA, KAZAKHSTAN, MOLDOVA, RUSSIA, ARMENIA, AND UKRAINE, AZERBAIJAN, BELARUS 60 DAYS: KYRGYZSTAN ONLY 30 DAYS: AUSTRALIAN UNION, REPUBLIC OF AUSTRIA, REPUBLIC OF ARGENTINA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, THE VATICAN, GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG, HUNGARY, THE STATE OF BRUNEI-DARUSSALAM, STATE OF ISRAEL, THE REPUBLIC OF GREECE, IRELAND, ICELAND, THE ITALIAN REPUBLIC, CANADA, THE PRINCIPALITY OF ANDORRA, THE PRINCIPALITY OF LIECHTENSTEIN, THE PRINCIPALITY OF MONACO, THE KINGDOM OF BELGIUM, THE KINGDOM OF DENMARK, THE KINGDOM OF SPAIN, KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS, THE KINGDOM OF NORWAY, KINGDOM OF SWEDEN, THE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA, THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA, MALAYSIA, MONGOLIA, NEW ZEALAND, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, REPUBLIC OF PORTUGAL, REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA, REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA, REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS, REPUBLIC OF KOREA, THE REPUBLIC OF MALTA, THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND, REPUBLIC OF SAN MARINO, REPUBLIC OF SERBIA, REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA, REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN, REPUBLIC OF CROATIA, REPUBLIC OF CHILE, ROMANIA, SINGAPORE, THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC, UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND, REPUBLIC OF TURKEY, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BRAZIL, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY, REPUBLIC OF FINLAND, REPUBLIC OF FRANCE, MONTENEGRO, CZECH REPUBLIC, SWISS CONFEDERATION, REPUBLIC OF ESTONIA, JAPAN, ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, BARBADOS, BELIZE, GRENADA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, MEXICO UNITED STATES, REPUBLIC OF GUATEMALA, REPUBLIC OF HONDURAS, COSTA RICAN REPUBLIC, REPUBLIC OF CUBA, REPUBLIC OF NICARAGUA, REPUBLIC OF PANAMA, TRINIDAD AND THE REPUBLIC OF TOBAGO, REPUBLIC OF EL SALVADOR, ST. VINCENT AND GRENADINE, ST. LUCIA, COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS, DOMINICAN COMMONWEALTH, ST. KITTS AND NEVIS FEDERATION, JAMAICA NOT MORE THAN 7 DAYS: PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, INCLUDING HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PRC

About e-visa When passing the State Border of the Republic of Uzbekistan and while staying in the country, foreign citizen must present a valid travel document (passport) and electronic visa in printed or electronic form.

In order to apply for an e-visa, a foreign citizen sends an application to the official e-visa portal of the Republic of Uzbekistan at www.e-viza.gov.uz.

Electronic visa is issued in accordance with a valid travel document certifying the identity, and valid only upon presentation of such document.

In case if there is a discrepancy in the information in the issued electronic visa and travel document certifying the identity of the foreign citizen, the electronic visa is considered invalid.

Foreign citizens are responsible for the information presented in the request for obtaining electronic visa. For consideration of the application for an e-visa, a consular fee of $ 20 is collected via integrated into the portal international

payment systems. In this case, the applicant does not have to be a cardholder. The amount of the consular fee is charged only for consideration of the application for an e-visa and is not refundable. A foreign citizen may be denied an e-visa in cases established by the legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan. In this case, the corresponding refusal notice is sent to the e-mail address of the foreign citizen.

When applying for electronic visa, foreign citizens with dual or multiple citizenship must choose the travel document of the country, using which they plan to enter the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The result of processing of the request to be sent to the applicant's email address.

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INTERVIEW

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UZBEKISTAN AND BENELUX COUNTRIES: PARTNERSHIP AND STEPS FORWARD Text by Sabina Odinayeva Visit Uzbekistan magazine had an interesting conversation with the Ambassador of Uzbekistan in Benelux Countries, Dilyor Khakimov, about the ongoing reforms in bilateral relations and the situation in general It has been 3.5 years since you have started your career as Ambassador to the Benelux countries. How have Uzbekistan’s relations with these countries developed in recent years?

Benelux, as you know, is a political, economic and customs union of the three Western European monarchies – Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Despite their relatively small size – their total territory is only 74.6 thousand sq km, these countries have powerful highly developed post-industrial economies.

It is worth noting that mutual interest in the development and expansion of cooperation has always existed. Europe is well

aware that Uzbekistan is the largest state in terms of population in Central Asia, a strategically important region of the world.

In this regard, we can say that Uzbekistan’s relations with the Benelux countries have been developing steadily over the past four years. The European partners look at the new, changing Uzbekistan, perceive the country with a completely different view, and we can say that they are rediscovering it for themselves.

The diplomatic missions of Uzbekistan abroad are assigned a particularly responsible role related to the promotion and protection of the interests of domestic producers-exporters working or just planning to enter the European markets, as well as assistance in attracting European technologies, knowledge and innovations to various sectors of the economy of the republic. Other important areas of cooperation are not ignored either. Although the coronavirus pandemic has made some adjustments over the past year, political dialogue was maintained with the Benelux countries, including at the high and highest levels.

What measures are taken by the Embassy to promote tourism between residents of the Benelux countries and Uzbekistan?

In 2019, Uzbekistan, at the suggestion of the State Tourism Committee, unilaterally introduced a visa-free regime for citizens of most European countries, including the Benelux countries. This has opened up huge opportunities for promoting Uzbekistan as a tourist destination and the Embassy has not been left out of this process.

There are certain activities of the diplomatic mission, which allowed us to achieve exact results in 2019. In particular, to triple the number of tourists from Benelux countries, as compared to the year before.

The first thing we pay attention to is the work with European and Uzbek travel agencies. Despite the rapid development of information technology and the opportunity to book everything yourself – from tickets to taxis – there are still too many people who trust professionals to do the job.

Promoting the tourism potential is a hard job. In particular, on the initiative of the Embassy and our partners, a lot of materials about Uzbekistan are published on a regular basis in the printed and online materials of the Benelux countries.

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In addition, we actively cooperate with local television companies and, since 2018, have already produced around 10 documentaries on Uzbekistan. These were filmed by wellknown local journalists and «Influencers». They helped attract the attention of the public and increase the number of visitors to Uzbekistan.

We also assist those who wish to promote Uzbekistan as a tourist destination in their activities. We are working with European partners on projects to attract tourists to the Aral Sea region and to create a cycle route through the country’s ancient cities. We hope that as the epidemiological situation stabilizes, we will put them into practice.

Let me ask what kind of work the Embassy is doing to develop relations and cooperation with compatriots living in the Benelux countries?

Unfortunately, for many years we have not used the potential of our compatriots living abroad. However, on the instructions of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, all diplomatic missions of Uzbekistan are actively working with compatriots who can be found in any part of the globe.

The Embassy provides all possible support to our citizens. There are 836 citizens of Uzbekistan on the consular register of the diplomatic mission. In addition, in the Benelux countries and Denmark (also included in the consular district of the diplomatic mission), there are thousands of our compatriots who are no longer citizens of Uzbekistan but continue to maintain contact

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with their historical homeland and sincerely wish to contribute to its development with their knowledge, skills, and investments.

In 2020, the diplomatic mission organized about 30 «round tables», video conferences, and webinars with the participation of compatriots, reaching specific agreements on the implementation of a number of important projects in the trade, investment, and tourism sectors in the republic.

How much did Uzbekistan’s popularity as a tourist destination increase before the pandemic?

Uzbekistan is quite popular destination among European tourists, primarily because of its ancient cities, beautiful nature, diverse culture and art, delicious cuisine, hospitable people, etc.

However, Europeans had to stay home for the 2020-2021 tourist season.

The pandemic has hit the tourism industry hard and affected the flow of tourists from Europe to Uzbekistan. The growth in Uzbekistan popularity as a tourist destination is only expected, as the whole world is working on various options for receiving tourists, ensuring their safety, and creating the most comfortable conditions possible. This, of course, requires additional expenditures and innovative approaches, which should allow restoring tourist flow.

Now, when the world is gradually beginning to get used to the new reality, to travel with vaccine certificates, PCR tests, and a mask on board, we and our partners are preparing for the recovery of Uzbekistan’s tourism industry.

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Transparency and openness in elections are important criteria of a democratic state Text by Dr. Gulnoza Ismailova Member of the Central Election Commission Uzbekistan is a country with rich history and dynamically developing present, with its priority to move towards an open democratic society.

Freedom, human and civil rights, where the voice of every citizen is heard, are the priorities for a democratic society. A democratic society exists when power is formed legitimately through universal suffrage and free elections.

On the verge of celebrating the 30th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan, looking back, we can note its bright breakthrough in transparency and openness over the past five years. Uzbekistan has acquired a new image in the international arena. The 2019 Parliamentary elections held under the slogan "New Uzbekistan – New elections" is real evidence for that.

Following the statistics, about 60,000 observers of political parties, more than 10,000 observers of citizens' self-government bodies (Mahalla), and 1,155 representatives of local and foreign media took part in the monitoring process. In addition, along with local observers, first-time accreditation was granted to a full-fledged OSCE / ODIHR observer mission, and a total of 825 international observers were registered.

Transparency is an integral feature of a democratic society, and it must be at all stages of the electoral process. Only transparency in the preparation and conduct of elections allows society to recognize the results of elections and agree with them.

The Election Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan aims at ensuring a consistent in time and stage-by-stage implementation of various electoral actions and procedures, which provide the legitimacy of elections.

In the year of the 30th anniversary of state independence, the country continues cardinal transformations to create New Uzbekistan, where human rights, freedoms, and legitimate interests are of the highest value. Among the most important directions in the country are democratic transformations for liberalizing social and political life and freedom of the media.

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These days, preparatory work is in full swing for an important political event – the election of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. All processes are conducted transparently and based on the national electoral legislation and the time frames specified therein. The following changes and additions have been made to the Electoral Code recently this year: Primarily, for the first time, presidential elections will be held on the first Sunday of the third decade of October, under the amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan introduced by the law dated by February 8, 2021. This major political campaign was launched on July 23.

Second, a procedure for the inclusion in the voter list of the citizens of Uzbekistan who live abroad has been introduced. They can vote regardless they are registered in the consular register of diplomatic missions or not, and a legal basis for voters abroad when using portable ballot boxes at the place of residence or work has been created.

Third, this election campaign operates and is formed on the principles of publicity. For the first time, the estimated expenses for the preparation and conduct of elections of the President were openly presented.

Fourth, to prevent the repeated complaints against the election commissions and their adoption of conflicting decisions, the practice has been introduced that only courts consider those complaints.

Thousands of representatives of political parties, citizens' self-government bodies, hundreds of international observers,

11 and journalists, including international ones, will observe the process of preparation and conduct of the presidential elections.

In May, experts from the Needs Assessment Mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) visited Uzbekistan. They positively assessed the pre-election situation and the process of preparing for the holding of free and democratic elections. As a result, they expressed an opinion on sending a full-fledged mission to observe the coming elections.

The participation of foreign observers in watching the preparation and conduct of elections is one of the important measures to ensure the transparency of the electoral process as one of the standards of modern democratic elections. It contributes to the state's compliance with its international obligations. The presence of foreign observers at the elections, in addition to its main task, is to identify the degree of legitimacy of the election results. It allows to correlate national legislation and the electoral procedure itself with international standards.

In the Index of Democracy of the Countries of the World, Uzbekistan took 157th place. The presidential decree ‘On improving the position of the Republic of Uzbekistan in international ratings and indices, as well as the introduction of a new mechanism for systematic work with them in state bodies and organizations’ from June 2, 2020, set the goal. By 2022, to increase the indicators of the country in ‘The electoral process and pluralism’ by six times. It means that we still have a lot to work on.

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VISIT UZBEKISTAN

Tourism in Uzbekistan in 2021 and beyond

Visit Uzbekistan sat down with Aziz Abdukhakimov, Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Tourism and Sports, to discuss what tourism will look like in Uzbekistan this year and beyond.

Text by Luiza Makhmudova

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What impact has the pandemic has on Uzbekistan’s tourism sector?

As with most countries in the world, the pandemic and the strict quarantine measures taken in connection with it, have negatively affected various sectors of the economy. It is worth noting that the tourism industry was one of the first industries to feel the impact of COVID-19.

The reduction in the flow of foreign tourists arriving in Uzbekistan with the complete suspension of tourism naturally led to a sharp reduction in the volume of exports of tourist services. So, in 2020, about 1.5 million tourists came to the country, which is no more than 23 per cent of last year's figure of 6.7 million. Exports of tourism services amounted to US$260 million, which is less than 20 per cent of last year's figure of US$1.313 billion.

What measures are being taken to restore tourist flow and attract tourists in 2021?

In order to mitigate the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and restore the tourist flow in the post-pandemic period, the country has adopted a set of measures to support the tourism business by further developing and restoring domestic and inbound tourism. A number of benefits and preferences have been provided for the tourism sector by presidential and government decrees. The government is paying special attention to attracting new foreign air carriers in order to expand the geography of international flights from Europe, Russia and the CIS countries, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, including China, South Korea, Japan and India.

Also, work continues to improve the material and technical bases of the tourism industry and to develop related infrastructure. As a result of the measures taken to support tourism, even despite the pandemic, 136 hotels were built in 2020, with a total room stock of 6385 rooms. We now have a total of 1308 hotels. At the same time, 478 family guesthouses were opened, for a total of 1364 guesthouses altogether.

The programme ‘Travel Around Uzbekistan’ was also introduced with the aim of developing domestic tourism in Uzbekistan by encouraging the general population to travel and take excursions. This programme has already proven its high efficiency in generating mass domestic tourism; at the end of 2019, the volume of domestic Uzbek tourist trips had already increased 3.2 times compared to 2015. The programme significantly stimulated the development of tourist services and the production of goods for travellers, and also improved the level of seasonal occupancy of hotels throughout the country.

In order to promote the tourism potential of Uzbekistan during the pandemic, virtual excursions were developed for 50 sightseeing spots and offered on the sites Uzbekistan.travel and Uzbekistan360.uz. Work continues on the creation of virtual tours to other attractions.

One of the priority areas in the tourism sector for the next few years is the creation of large tourist zones and all-season resorts, including in Bostanlyk district in the Tashkent region, in the Zaamin district of Jizzakh region, in the Namangan and Surkhandarya regions. There are also plans in place to create a modern complex for recreational, beach and aquatic tourism around the Aydar-Arnasay Lakes.

Along with the clear support for domestic tourism that has been implemented, have any wider lessons been learned from the ‘force majeure’ situation?

Of course, the situation with the pandemic has determined new approaches and solutions for the sector. For example, to ensure the safety and health of tourists, we launched the ‘Uzbekistan. Safetravel Guaranteed’ programme of sanitary and epidemiological security. All safety standards have been approved by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).

The standards include the best international guidelines for the provision of safe services to tourists in order to ensure the safety of their health during their stay.

As for the expansion of geography, in 2021, based on the epidemiological situation around the world, there are plans to add flights specifically to cater to pilgrimage tourism. These include 1500 flights from Indonesia, Turkey, Pakistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Iran and India, 240 flights from Israel, the USA, France and Russia, and 200 flights from Japan, India, Korea, China, Thailand and Buryatia. In 2021, we plan to significantly increase the number of flights to 18 per week from Turkey, quadruple the number from Indonesia, triple the number from Malaysia, and open connections with five new destinations in the Middle East.

At present, citizens of 86 nations can come to Uzbekistan without a visa, and work in this direction will continue in the coming year. The availability of transport is key in this, so from this year, we will reduce prices for aviation fuel and air

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Are there plans to develop other tourism destinations?

Some experts recommend moving away from the mass tourism model (particularly due to risks of environmental pollution, damage to monuments, overcrowding, safety issues, and low profitability of budget travel packages), and instead recommend developing conditions and iinfrastructure for small-group tourists that will stay longer and spend more.

As I have already noted, Uzbekistan has a huge untapped potential across the tourism sector. Focusing on domestic tourism and the implementation of the State Program will give a significant result in overcoming the current crisis, with the gradual involvement of foreign tourists and an increase in the tourist flow to the country.

At the moment, the Ministry of Tourism is actively working on improving the existing tourism infrastructure in the country, where, in order to attract new tourists, it is necessary to create new destinations and introduce new tourism products and services. In terms of solvency, it is very important to develop luxury tourism products, which requires improving the existing infrastructure, as well as the construction of modern, new tourist facilities with latest technologies.

At the moment, most visitors’ main requirement is a customised vacation, including specific hotel rooms, special types of car hire, tickets for events, reservations in popular restaurants, pre-orders for Spa & Beauty treatments, etc.

Tourists prioritise first-class flights, and the quality and variety of service levels. Private transfers on small planes and

tickets, launch additional railway routes from the Fergana Valley regions to the rest of the country, as well as continuing to improve highways and roadside infrastructure from Khonobod in the Andijan region to Termez in Surkhandarya and Moynaq in Karakalpakstan. Standardised service areas and service points are also being introduced along highways.

In previous years, in addition to traditional cultural and historical tourism, special attention was paid to promoting themed tourism around pilgrimages, gastronomy, youth, events, winter sports and eco-tourism. Which of these areas might be especially in demand in the context of the postpandemic trend towards ‘tourism with social distance’?

First of all, I would like to highlight pilgrimage and medical tourism. There is huge untapped potential for these in Uzbekistan. Consequently, in the coming years, special attention will be paid to developing these two types of tourism.

Together with the phased resumption of regular and charter air travel with the countries of Southeast Asia, the Middle East and a number of other countries with high potential for tourism, in 2021 we aim to attract more than 700,000 pilgrimage tourists to Uzbekistan.

Also this year, systematic work with target markets will continue for attracting international tourists around culture and history, extreme, mountain, medical, agro, ethno, gastronomic, rural tourism, etc. Priority markets include Europe, Russia and the CIS countries, the Middle East, and Asia, including Southeast Asia, China, South Korea, Japan and India.

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helicopters are very popular. Travellers increasingly prefer unique accommodation rather than traditional hotels. This can range from luxury hotels to a treehouse, monasteries, glass bubbles or a yurt in the middle of the steppe.

Also, modern tourists often plan travel around events, like sports competitions, cultural festivals and carnivals, concerts, major exhibitions, or recently opened landmarks. Also, it can be dinner parties with the participation of celebrities, writers, politicians, scientists.

In the direction of luxury tourism, Uzbekistan can offer helicopter tours around the country. For example, flights over the Aral Sea, over the Tashkent region, places of outstanding and natural beauty. We also need to offer special tour packages for ‘all inclusive’ resorts, such as the Bukhara Resort Oasis & Spa, Konigil tourist village and Heaven's Garden Resort & Spa. Also, we shall promote hunting tours in Bukhara, Navoi, Khorezm regions and the Republic of Karakalpakstan. Hunting and falconry tours is the most demanded type of tourism among luxury tourists.

Today, tourists are increasingly requesting activities related to nature and conservation. Based on this, we have accelerated implementation of infrastructure projects aimed at smoothing tourist flows and creating conditions for yearround recreation. These places incorporate environmental measures for sustainable tourism, such as the preservation of natural heritage, respect for nature reserves and parks and will be further opened for tourists in compliance with all environmental standards.

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DIVING INTO

Uzbekistan Uzbekistan is one of the countries that can always surprise you during travelling. It attracts tourists at any time of the year.

Even if you have been or lived here, the country can surely offer you something new and different.

Of course, in 2020, the plans of all tourists around the world were changed. The coronavirus pandemic has influenced tourism everywhere. Uzbekistan, its historical places, and people were impatiently waiting for the improvement of the situation. When in October 2020, the internal flights and trains started operating again, after a slowdown, the life began to revive.

Taking into account the desire to travel and to explore yet undiscovered, as well as those foreigners and expats who stayed in Uzbekistan during the pandemic, the Visit Uzbekistan team decided to organize new special “experience tours”.

What is an “experience tour”? It is immersing into country’s history, culture, traditions, cuisine for a deeper understanding of a place and its people. It’s an amazing chance to become closer to the way of life of citizens and discover hidden horizons.

The first tour was organized in November 2020 to the Bukhara region. Then, the group travelled to the Khorezm region in December. And later, in February 2021, the participants were taken to the Samarkand region. The detailed programme of all trips was prepared together with partners of the Visit Uzbekistan magazine – local administration of the regions and cities, as well as Veres Vert travel company.

All these journeys took a special place in the hearts of participants and left longstanding feelings. We offer you to take a glance at these tours for your future plans to discover Uzbekistan with us.

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bukhara In November 2020, Visit Uzbekistan magazine and the local administration of Bukhara organized a unique experience tour to the ancient city. Bukhara’s rich culture and local ways of life left a lasting impression on the participants.

The itinerary was very rich on events and included a view of the unique collection of historic suzani and textiles at home of Akbar Khakimov, the opening of an exhibition of contemporary art at the Art Residence project by the Bonum Factum Gallery, and the Swiss Cooperation Bureau. Also, an exhibition of miniatures

by Davlat Toshev at the Usto-Shogird art school, a master class on cooking Bukhara-style plov, visit to the Bukhara Cotton Textile Cluster were part of the program.

To round things off, the launch event for a Bukhara-themed edition of Visit Uzbekistan was held on the scenic rooftop of the Minorai Kalon Hotel, which featured a MARU fashion show by Markhamat Umarova, Bukhara designer Irina Sharapova, the founder of the Ovation Fashion Theatre and the Rasulov dynasty of gold embroiderers.

Megan Fraser Australia “When I arrived in Uzbekistan in January this year, I was looking forward to exploring the historical cities of the Great Silk Road such as Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. Unfortunately, since the quarantine was on, I had to postpone my plans. Therefore, the opportunity to spend a weekend in Bukhara immediately inspired me. I loved walking around the old town, close to the caravanserais and to feel the spirit of history. I imagined how travellers of ancient times passed along these ways. I also was quite surprised to learn that Bukhara has such a thriving artistic community. I especially enjoyed seeing the beautiful miniature artworks of Davlat Toshev. My sister is an artist and I instantly thought that she should see this. I look forward to the day when I can explore more of the country in all its glory.”

Zhanar Sagimbayeva Kazakhstan “I was impressed with the exhibition of miniatures. In my opinion, this type of exhibition defines the future of this city.

Bukhara is famous for its crafts and it’s nice to see that young people are studying and continuing to create masterpieces today.

There are some very contemporary miniatures that reflect the thoughts, ideas, worries and inspirations of young people today.

Markhamat Umarova's fashion show on the rooftop really showed off the unique local fabrics and the creativity of the designers, as well as the ancient arts of gold embroidery. I would love to have these pieces in my wardrobe.”

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khorezm Ancient Khiva charms and attracts guests all year round. Visit Uzbekistan together with the khokimiyat (local administration) of the Khorezm region, organised a second tour to this historical city. Travellers had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the history, culture, art, gastronomy, and way of life of the local people.

Travelling on to the Khorezm region, guests learned to make traditional Khorezm dishes and local bread. They were given special access to the workshops of several Khivan craftspeople to observe the process of making the famous chugurma (sheepskin hats), papier-mâché dolls, intricate local wood carvings, and learned the art of Khivan puppet theatre. Guests also visited one of the ancient houses in the Ichan Kala fortress, where they were welcomed by the head of the house, Masharipov Odilbek, and taught the basics of the famous Lazgi dance.

Vera Afonina Russia “Most of all I liked the architecture inside the Itchan Kala fortress and the fact that they managed to preserve the atmosphere of the city, which consists of small streets. It is not for nothing that the fortress is included on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List.

Everything is very authentic and you can immediately imagine how in the past it was all lively and flourished in bright colors. This is rare now, living in large cities, but sometimes you want to feel something real, for the soul. And from the kitchen we liked the ‘green spaghetti’ and the fact that we didn’t eat many dishes either in Bukhara or Tashkent, and that there were a lot of vegetables.”

Modestas Kaseliauskas Lithuania “In Khiva, I was surprised that, since ancient times, the city has been entirely preserved within the boundaries of the ancient walls, and not just individual monuments! I was also struck that this is a ‘city of the sun’ and its cultural roots go back to the time of Zoroastrianism. We have proved that you can visit Khiva in winter as well, but you need to dress properly and keep warm! It is also pleasant that this group of expats had already gotten to know each other well and enjoy learning Uzbekistan through personal experience. We are looking forward to new adventures with Visit Uzbekistan.”

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samarkand Inspired by the success of experiential tours, the Visit Uzbekistan Partnership decided to continue exploring the beauty of Uzbekistan together with expats.

Magnificent Samarkand is the historical capital of Uzbekistan. For many years, the ‘Pearl of the East’ has attracted tourists from around the world. In February 2021, Visit Uzbekistan hosted a tour to Samarkand and Urgut. The itinerary included: • Learning about Samarkand’s unique cultural heritage by taking in a dance master class at the El Merosi Theatre of Historical Costumes • Learning to make Samarkand-style bread in a baking master class • Visit to Khovrenko Wine Factory museum followed by a wine tasting • Learning traditional Uzbek sewing in a suzani masterclass, as well as ceramics at the house of Usto Numon Oblokulov • Visiting the Samarkand-Bukhara Silk Carpets workshop (Hudjum Factory) to shop for traditional silk carpets.

Visit Uzbekistan will continue organizing the trips to other regions of Uzbekistan for exploring their diverse nature, food, and cultural traditions.

Visit Uzbekistan magazine Tel.: +998 93 390 00 98 Web: visituzbekistan.co Instagram: @visit_uzbekistan_ Veres Vert Tel.: +998 66 233 61 26 Web: veres-vert.com Instagram: @veres_vert

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STORY

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

SINGING WOOD IN THE HANDS OF TALENT Music connects people, unites hearts, makes you feel the highest emotions, and gives meaning to many moments in our lives. In this article, we will introduce you to the incredibly enthusiastic cellist and young figure of Uzbekistan, Dilshod Narzillayev, whose talent and hard work have already succeeded in winning the hearts of thousands of listeners.

Text by Sabina Odinayeva

Photo by Mukhiddin A Lee

Dilshod Narzillayev was born in 1997 in Navoi in the family of doctors. From a very young age, his musician uncle Akrom Ibadullayev predicted his nephew's fate as a cellist and saw in him the qualities of a true maestro. At that time, the young boy didn’t even know what the instrument was actually about.

As a 5-year-old boy, Dilshod went to the Glier Specialised Music Lyceum in Tashkent, where he joined the violin class. After 20 days, he left the class for family reasons and returned to his home. But as fate would have it, at the age of 10, his uncle Akrom Ibadullaev took him to music school again. Here he became acquainted with cello for the first time and for several years studied it under the tutelage of Jahangir Ibragimov, a merited teacher of Uzbek youth.He inspired in Dilshod an interest and love for music that became his shining star for many years in the future.

Children learn to play the cello from the age of 5. But Dilshod had an inborn talent that helped him catch up with all his age-mates and learn new skills in a short time. Over the next few years, he performed his programs at concerts and won his first awards.

"I remember my first concert in 2009 like it was today. I was 11 and felt some excitement. I started performing and, at the same time, realized how much I loved it. It was on that day when I realized that I want to spend my life playing the cello."

After that, he went to Italy in 2011, where he won the Grand Prize of the Rovere d'Oro, participated in other competitions in Kazakhstan, France with the Grand Prize at the Alexander Glazunov Festival. He won the top prize in the Zubanov Competition and at music competitions in the Republic of Uzbekistan.

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"After graduating from the specialized lyceum, I thought about where I should go next. My teacher, Jahangir Ibragimov, advised me to apply to the International Centre for Music at Park University in Kansas City, Missouri. It turned out that a teacher, Daniel Veis, already knew me as a young cellist, and he asked me to send him recordings of my performances.

After that, I was successfully accepted to the university on a grant basis."

The well-known cellist Daniel Veis, originally from Prague, taught Dilshod Narzillayev from 2015 to 2020. He opened up new horizons of music for the young musician and passed on his knowledge to him in full. When Dilshod completed his bachelor's degree, Daniel Veis said that he had given him everything, and it was time to find other sides and learn from other maestros.

In 2020, he joined the New England Conservatory in Boston, Massachusetts. Dilshod's current teacher is a living music legend – Laurence Lesser, whom he has dreamed of studying since 2012 after meeting him in a master class in Canada.

Narzillaev has performed concertos of Saint-Saens, Dvorak, and Haydn with the Uzbek National Symphony Orchestra. He made his debut with Shostakovich's first concerto with the Croatian Radiotelevision Symphony Orchestra. He has also made his debut with Kansas City Arts in 2016.

In 2017, having passed the selection process, he performed his program at the Queen Elizabeth Cello Competition, where Queen herself was among the audience. In 2018, before the pandemic, he took part in a festival in France at the Napoleon castle. In 2020, he participated in the Antonio Janigro International Cello Competition in Zagreb, Croatia, and won the IV - prize. During the pandemic, he was an active participant in virtual concerts.

Dilshod plays Beethoven, Schubert, Prokofiev, Schumann, Shostakovich, and other composers. In his spare time, he composes non-classical electronic music. His inspiration comes from memories of his homeland, people, and his love of music.

"Music is not just about playing notes and waving your hands around. It is so much emotion that is impossible not to most important mission of a musician."

The young artist has many plans for the future. They include the creation of specialized music centres across musical disciplines. He also wants to organise chamber concerts and music performances. Today, Dilshod Narzillayev is a candidate for the "Nihol" state award, which is given to talented youth aged 17 to 25.

"Since childhood, music has been the meaning of my life.

I have given myself into it so deeply that there is nothing else I can do besides it. I have sacrificed so much for music. Being away from home and family, I have done everything to be the best at it."

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JOURNEY

TRAVELS BEYOND SAMARKAND

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

Text by Sophie Ibbotson

Millennia of travellers have taken the golden road to Samarkand. The glittering turquoise and lapis tiles of the Shah-i-Zinda, the huge dome of the Bibi Khanym Mosque, and the gilded interior of the Tilya Kori Madrasah in the Registan are just as mesmerising now as they were when the great emperor Timur made Samarkand his capital and home.

But in their bid to tick off the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, most tourists overlook Uzbekistan’s other treasures.

No visit to the country would be complete without sightseeing in Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva, but every corner of Uzbekistan has its wonders, and they too warrant time to be explored. Take as much time as you can, and travel as far as you can, to gain real insight into this beautiful, nuanced country.

Starting in the west, surrounded by the desert sands of the Kyzylkum and Karakum Deserts, is Karakalpakstan. Rising from the dusty dunes are 50 mud brick fortresses - the Golden Ring of Khorezm. Blended with, and partially reclaimed by, the earth, these vast structures nod to the might and power of armies past. Standing

atop the weather and time worn battlements of the Ayaz Qala, you can see for miles and miles. Some 100 rooms of the Toprak Kala are partially preserved, so there you can wander the streets, popping in and out of homes and other buildings and imagining what this settlement must have been like during the heyday of the Silk Road. In low season, and at the smaller fortresses, it’s likely that you will have the entire site to yourself.

Whilst you are here, be sure to visit Nukus.

The city itself is unremarkable, but it hides an absolute gem -- The Savitsky Museum -- which Télérama magazine called “Le Louvre des steppes”. Curator and founder Igor Savitsky was a painter, archeologist, and determined collector. Amongst the museum’s 82,000 artefacts -- which includes everything from archaeological finds excavated in Khorezm to attractive items of folk art -- is one of the world’s pre-eminent collections of Russian avant garde art. Savitsky acquired these artworks from across the Soviet Union when the artists who produced them were out of favour. He bought and bartered works by the likes of Robert Falk, David Burliuk, and Alexander Kuprin. By squirrelling them away here, out of sight in remote Karakalpakstan, he preserved these masterpieces to be enjoyed by later generations.

When in Bukhara, make time to go outside the city. It’s a short drive to

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the magnificent Sitorai Mokhi Khosa, which translates as “the palace of moon-like stars”. This was the official residence of Mir Sayyd Muhammad Alim Khan, the ill fated khan of Bukhara who was sat on the throne when the Bolsheviks rolled in. His palace, built between 1912 and 1918, nods both to Uzbekistan’s Islamic heritage and to imperial Russia, where Alim Khan was educated. The harem building, garden minaret, and reflection pools are juxtaposed with the main building’s white stucco facade, Venetian mirrors, Japanese porcelains, and objets d’art from Russia.

Combine the palace with the Memorial Complex of Naqshbandi, one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites in Uzbekistan.

Naqshbandi was a Sufi theologian and the spiritual guide of Emperor Amir Timur (Tamerlane). He is said to have visited Mecca 32 times on Hajj, and since his death in 1389, Naqshbandi has been recognised as a saint. I like to come here and sit quietly in one of the courtyards, looking up at the finely carved woodwork or the intricate mosaic of tiles. The noise -- when there is one -- is the murmuring of Muslims in prayer. It is an oasis of calm in an otherwise bustling city.

The highlights that people tell you about in Uzbekistan are more often than not man made. Aydarkul is a notable exception; it is one of the most idyllic lakes in all of Central Asia, located not far from Nurata. I first went on a warm September afternoon with friends. The beach is sandy, and the lake wonderfully clean.

Casting off our shoes and outer layers, we raced into the water, swimming and splashing about for an hour like children. When we did emerge, grinning from ear to ear, it was to drive the short distance along a track to the Kazakh yurt camp to spend the night like nomads. A musician played and sang to us around the campfire, and we slept outside beneath a completely clear canopy of stars. The most magical of memories are made this way.

Researching and writing Bradt Travel Guides’ Uzbekistan -- the best selling travel guide to the country -- I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have had months at a time to go far beyond the well worn tourist paths. You can follow my journeys with Travel the Unknown’s Uzbekistan Odyssey (www.traveltheunknown.com), an exceptional 14 night itinerary which not only showcases ancient cities and spellbinding architecture, but traditional craftsmanship, avant garde art, and the riches of the desert as well.

LANDSCAPE

BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO KOKAND Kokand is a city in the Fergana region of eastern Uzbekistan, set along the lower reaches of the Sokh River. It is located at the crossroads of ancient caravan routes in the valley and, in the 19th century, was the seat of one of Uzbekistan’s three major khanates. With a population of more than 255,000 people, Kokand today is a relaxed town with several interesting historical sights.

It is one of the oldest cities on the Silk Road, rich in ancient monuments and delicately preserved madrasas. Craftsmanship is highly developed here, and recently the city was awarded the status of ‘City of Craftmasters’. There are a number of unique pottery workshops around Kokand, and it is a good place to find items made by artisans from neighbouring cities, including Chust knives and silks from Margilan.

Kokand’s History Archaeological excavations indicate that a large settlement with defensive structures at the site of Kokand existed from the 2nd century BC. It is obvious that the city was then already an important trade centre in the ancient Fergana state. Tenth century Arabic sources mention it as the city of Khavokand, which can be translated as ‘City of Winds’. At that time, the city had formed as one of the main trading points on the Great Silk Road near the borders of China. In the 13th century, Kokand was completely destroyed by the invasion of the Mongols, led

by Chinggis Khan, and underwent lengthy reconstruction for several decades.

But at the beginning of the 18th century, the leaders of the Uzbek Ming tribe founded their state in the Fergana Valley and the second ruler of the new dynasty, named Abdurakhimbai, made Kokand his capital, rebuilding it anew. Under Abdurakhim-bai, the Kokand Khanate significantly expanded its borders and even temporarily captured Samarkand. By the time of its occupation by the Russian Tsarist army in 1976, Kokand had become a very important religious city with many madrasas and mosques, and a leading cultural centre of Central Asia with hundreds of poets living here.

Under Russian rule, Kokand turned into a bustling industrial city with numerous textile factories, other industries and a regionally important railway station. It played a significant role in the economy of the Fergana Valley during the Soviet period, but regained its glory as one of the cultural capitals of Central Asia after Uzbekistan’s independence in 1991.

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Kokand Khanate Sights There are many historical sites in Kokand, mostly dating to the khanate period (1709–1876).

Here are some of the city's most important khanate sights.

Palace of Khudoyor Khan The Palace of Khudoyor Khan (also known as O’rda) is an architectural monument built between 1863 and 1874 by Khudoyor Khan. The palace included richly decorated royal halls, harem and guest rooms designed in a mixture of traditional and European styles. Legend has it that the khan's mother refused to live in one of the opulent chambers, so she was moved into a yurt in the courtyard instead. Many buildings were demolished during the Soviet era, but 19 still remain. Since 1925, it has been home to the Kokand City Museum of Local Lore.

Norbota-Biy Madrasah The ruling period of Khan Norbota-Biy was relatively peaceful and economically prosperous for Kokand, which attracted many craftsmen and intellectuals lured by the architectural commissions and patronage of the monarch. Norbota-Biy launched the ambitious construction plan of a series of secular and religious buildings. The madrasah named after him was built in 1798 and for a long time was the largest educational institution in the Fergana Valley. It boasts a delicately decorated brick and blue tile exterior, a spacious archway and unusually massive towers. Though it lay dormant during the Soviet era, in 1991, the madrasah became active again.

House-Museum of Khamza Khamza Khakimzoda Nioziy was the first Communist poet in Uzbekistan and played an important role in creating new Socialist culture in the country until he was killed by stoning in 1929. His small house in Kokand was turned into a museum and now gives a unique glimpse into how people lived here in early 20th century.

Juma Mosque Kokand’s Friday mosque was built in 1812

by Muhammad Umar Khan. The mosque consists of a huge khanaqah (Sufi gathering hall) and 98 wide, carved redwood columns brought from India, as well as a 22-metre-high minaret in the centre. The mosque serves as the main place of worship in town and also also has a museum of applied arts inside.

Dahma-i Shahon Dahma-i Shahon was built in 1825 by Muhammad Umar Khan as a necropolis for the rulers of Kokand. He was a great patron of literature and himself wrote many poems under the pseudonym Amiriy. The beautifully ornamented portico of his mausoleum contains some of his verses, along with lines from Koran.

Modarikhan Mausoleum Modarikhan Mausoleum is associated with the famous early 19th century Uzbek poetess Nodira-begim, who was a spouse of Umar Khan (also a poet and patron of arts). The mausoleum was initially built on her order as a resting place for her mother-in-law (hence the name, which translates as ‘Mother of Khan Tomb’). But when she was brutally killed by the invading Emir of Bukhara in 1842, her own tomb of white marble was also placed here.

Getting to Kokand Drive The 230km drive from Tashkent goes via the picturesque Kamchik mountain pass. Plan plenty of time to linger over tea and take in the amazing vistas to the valleys below, and sample the local flat bread with qurt (firm dairy balls) from a roadside stall.

Fly A slightly unconventional route to Kokand is to board a plane to Andijan in the very east of Uzbekistan, enjoy few hours there and then hit the road westwards to Fergana, Margilan, Rishtan and Kokand.

Rail The four-hour train from Tashkent goes via Kamchik, cutting through one of the longest tunnels in Asia. Make sure to admire Kokand Railway Station, which played a pivotal role in the economic boom of the Fergana Valley in the early 20th century.

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

MARGILAN: CITY OF POETRY AND SILK

Text by Dilnavoz Abdurahmonova Tucked into the fertile Fergana Valley of eastern Uzbekistan is Margilan, a city known for its handicrafts. Margilan is truly ancient – the earliest written sources about it date to the 10th century, though its origins go much further back.

Today, Margilan is in the throes of growth and change. Modern monuments and skyscrapers have been built alongside its preserved historical monuments, which include the Pir Siddiq complex, the Khanaqah mosque, and the mausoleum of Hasti Maoz.

Located along the Silk Road, Margilan was undoubtedly an influential and important city, traditionally home to many artisans, particularly fabric and silk makers whose wares were traded up and down the Silk Road. Even today, the city remains particularly well-known as being a centre of silk weaving.

CITY OF SAGES AND POETS Margilan was mentioned by 19th century Uzbek historian Iskhoqhon Ibrat, in his book, History of Fergana, as well as in The Memoirs of Babur (Baburnama).

And it was in the Fergana Valley that an urbanised, Indo-European speaking culture (the Dayuan) encountered the Chinese civilisation for the first time. This exchange eventually led to the opening of the Silk Road from the 1st century BC on.

According to Russian/Soviet historian Vasily Barthold, Margilan was the capital of the Fergana Valley in the Karakhanid period (around the 9th to 13th centuries). The city is also sometimes referred to as the ‘Sanduk ulArifin’ (‘Box of the Arifs’– in Arabic, ‘arif’ means smart, knowledgeable and wise),

because many scientists and sages, particularly, Burkhaniddin al-Margilani, Uwais, Khazin Margilani, grew up here.

Margilan was also the hometown of Sufi poet Jahon Otin Uvaysiy (1780–1845), who was an otin (female scholar of Islam).

Uvaysiy wrote some 15,000 lines of verse (hemistiches)

CITY OF SILKS AND FABRICS Perhaps Margilan’s most-well known contribution to Uzbek culture is its production of traditional silks and fabrics. The city is home to the largest silk producers in Uzbekistan: Yodgorlik Shoyi Korkhonasi and Turon Shoyisi, as well as some 600 other small, private workshops and fabric factories.

In recent years, the demand for Margilan ikat fabrics (atlas, adras, shoiy, beqasam) has increased dramatically, with orders coming from across Uzbekistan and around the world. The city owes its reputation for high-quality silks to the fact that all aspects of fabric production happen in one place, starting with the cultivation of the silk worms, all the way down to preparing natural dyes with traditional methods.

Most tourists visiting the Fergana Valley want to buy Margilan atlas, and the presence of so many workshops means that there are ample opportunities to see how it is created and what types are available, as well as to meet the artisans and learn about their stories and family histories.

Several master artisan families also run guesthouses, including Nabijon Toshtemirov and Rasuljon Mirzaakhmedov (Ikat House, 133 Ipak Yuli St, ikatuzcenter@ gmail.com).

A guesthouse stay generally includes a visit to the workshop and a chance to meet and talk with the master artisans, as well as home comforts like a traditional Uzbek meal and cosy accommodation.

WHAT ARE ªّXj À I ªX!²‫د‬ The local name for ikat is abr (‘cloud’ in Persian), as the traditional patterns are said to resemble clouds floating in the sky or reflected on water. The abr-ikat fabrics of the Fergana Valley generally come in four varieties: adras, atlas, shoiybahmal and beqasam. These fabrics are made using ikat – a technique of bundledyeing thread before it is woven, resulting in unusual patterns, such as the classic Uzbek floral and geometric patterns.

Traditionally woven with a glossy silk warp, adras is a mix of silk and cotton, while atlas fabric is made of pure silk.

Shoiy is the finest (thus most expensive) type of local silk velvet fabric. Beqasam

is a silk-cotton striped fabric used for chapon robes and other men’s attire, but now seen only rarely. Each of these fabrics also has subtypes. For example Khon-atlas features golden threads and more vivid red-yellow patterns, while A’lo-bahmal is a rare bahmal velvet.

Colour plays a critical role in the symbolism of abr-ikat fabrics.

Brilliantly hued, these textiles generally incorporate bright pinks, warm yellows, dark blues, rich reds and so on. The dyes traditionally are created from various natural plants or the peels of some fruits.

The beauty and staggering colours of adrikat fabrics, especially in the silhouettes of Uzbekistan’s national costumes, are a favourite souvenir for many visitors.

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LANDSCAPE

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

Text by Odina Ulugbekjanova | Photos by Mukhiddin A Lee One of Uzbekistan’s most prized national crafts is ceramicware, and for that, Rishtan is a must-visit. About 90 percent of all of Uzbekistan’s ceramics are produced by a few thousand ceramicists from this ancient city. Many of these potters have opened local workshops where visitors can look, buy and even take a class in making their own piece of pottery.

Located in the Fergana Valley, 50km from the city of Fergana, Rishtan is deservedly known as ‘Central Asia’s Pottery Workshop’.

It is one of the oldest cities in the region, located on the route of the Silk Road, along which Rishtan ceramics were sent further afield in Uzbekistan and around the world.

RISHTAN’S SPECIAL POTTERY The main reason to go to Rishtan is to visit artisan workshops of various glazed-ceramics masters, as well as the Rishtan Art Ceramics Factory, where you can watch skilful painters and masters using centuries-old potting techniques in action. Ceramic arts are believed to go back 800 years in Rishtan, making it one of the oldest and most venerated pottery centres in the region. It was in Rishtan that that the special Uzbek ceramic painting style was first used, and during the Soviet era, the first pottery factory in Central Asia was built here.

Rishtan ceramics are most well-known for their special alkali 'ishqor' blue glaze, which is made from local mountain plants, minerals and crushed pebbles from the nearby Sokh River. The main raw material is a unique red clay found only in

Rishtan, and potting masters here have developed and perfected the technique of semifaience – a type of transparent glazing.

Typical pottery styles include big dishes known as ‘lagans’, deep bowls (‘kosa’), water jugs, milk vessels and plates, all decorated in the astonishing ishqor shades of turquoise and ultramarine.

A number of Rishtan families have been making ceramics for generations, though during the Soviet period, most of the pottery production was moved into state factories. Since 1991, there has been a huge revival in Rishtan’s ceramic arts scene, and several local masters have won awards internationally.

Rishtan pottery now graces galleries, museums and private collections around the world.

RISHTAN CERAMICS FAMILIES A number of Rishtan’s ceramic centres are open for visitors, several of which are workshops run by local families who have been in business for generations. Some also now operate guesthouses where you can stay overnight, take a masterclass, have a meal or purchase one-of-a-kind pottery to take home.

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Yusupovs A local ceramics dynasty with nine generations of ceramic masters and currently headed by the great master Sharofiddin Yusupov. Nicknamed the ‘Paganini of Rishtan’ because of his virtuoso technique, Usto (Master) Sharofiddin achieved international recognition in the 1970s, when he restored the secret of the authentic ishqor glaze. Although the Yusupov family strictly follows the old Rishtan ceramic school rules, they also introduced new interpretations of several patterns (almond, pomegranate, etc), and added green and purplebrown elements in addition to the traditional blue and white.

Find it: 55 Roshidoniy St, Dukchion Mahalla, Rishtan www.uzbekceramics.nethouse.ru www.instagram.com/rishtanceramics

Nazirovs The Nazirov family is relatively new on the Rishtan ceramics scene, but has already become very famous. He achieved early recognition after reintroducing ancient patterns and shapes based on archeological findings. But true celebrity status came after he began collaborating closely with traditional ceramics masters in Japan. Usto Alisher has also been awarded a UNESCO diploma and is a member of the Academy of Arts. His younger brother Bahtiyor and nephew Diyor also established themselves as high-level potters and together they continue the unique style of their family.

PRESIDENTIAL VISIT In February 2021, Uzbekistan’s President, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, visited Rishtan to see the workshops of local ceramics masters and visit the International Ceramics Center (9 Tuqimachi St, next to the textile factory). It is a complex of two-storey workshops where 20 ceramics masters can work and live with their families, along with a dedicated gallery for exhibitions and sales.

Find it: Babur Str 50, Rishtan www.instagram.com/alisher.nazirov

Kamilovs The Kamilov dynasty began in the early 19th century with the legendary Abdullo Kulol, who is considered the ‘teacher of all potters in the Fergana Valley’. His grandson, Ibrohim Kamilov (1928-2002), became the most prominent ceramics master in Rishtan during the Soviet era. His son, Ismail Kamilov, now represents the eighth generation of this celebrated dynasty and produces the traditional ishqor ceramics strictly following the family style and methods.

Find it: 30 B. Hafizov St, Rishtan

Usmanovs The Usmanov family is a newer Rishtan dynasty, led by the world-renowned Rustam Usmanov. After graduating from the Tashkent Institute of Fine Arts in 1980, in just a few years, he rose to become an Usto-naqqosh (master-painter). Opened in 1997, the Usmanov workshop is a must-visit thanks to its vast collection of ceramics made by historic and contemporary masters.

Find it: 230 Ar Roshidoniy St, Rishtan www.facebook.com/usmanovsworkshop

BEYOND CERAMICS: WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN RISHTAN Plov Teahouse In a famous Plov Teahouse, food and tea are enjoyed on one of the topchan sofas over the river. On the menu are a large variety of different teas, but the main dish is plov, prepared with special ‘chungara’ rice grown in the Fergana Valley.

Sohibi Hidoya Buried two metres underneath the Sohibi Hidoya cemetery, archaeologists uncovered the remains of a settlement with a large number of different kinds of ceramics, bronze, and glass items dating from the 9th 12th centuries.

Mosque Khoja Ilgor The Mosque Khoja Ilgor was built in the 19th century and is famous for its rich, brilliantly colourful ceilings, with perennial planes and other trees shading the grounds.

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VISIT

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

CHORSU BAZAAR Text by John Reinhard

Photo by Marleen Tutenel

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What is a Bazaar Bazaar is the heart of every oriental city, the centre of public life, breadwinner of the whole city. Since the dawn of time bazaars appeared on the intersections of trade roads, on big squares of cities. They played role of main places of the city where merchants, traders and common people gathered to discuss important news, to know prices, to have a rest in cozy chaykhana (Uzbek café) eating plov and drinking green tea. Also bazaars were the places of main entertaining events of the city – theatrical performances.

History of Chorsu Bazaar The market has been one of the busiest bazaars in Central Asia, since it is located on the Silk route, but it was the Soviets who constructed and covered it with the blue-domed building. After the conquest of Tashkent by Russians in 1865 large construction works started in the city that divided it to New and Old parts along the narrow and fast city canal. The Old City is literally older by about a thousand years than its new neighbour, and preserved many Central Asian antiquities with minarets, and its centre is not a square, but the great bazaar of Chorsu.

Though not the centre of the city as it used to be before, Chorsu bazaar is still heart of Tashkent and its major landmark. Chorsu bazaar existed continuously since at least the Mongol invasion.

The blue dome of bazaar became one of the symbols of Tashkent even though the present version was built after the earthquake of 1966, but it brilliantly blended into the architecture of Central Asia with its centuries-old tradition of trading domes like in Bukhara, Samarkand and Shahrisabz. The main magnificent domed construction is patterned with oriental ornaments, has a diameter of nearly 300-350m.

The Design Soviet architects designed and built vast mosaic-covered domes, blue & turquoise space bubbles that still protect merchants and their goods from the elements and give the bazaar’s skyline its distinctive shape. This was the only way to protect oneself from heat and dust in terms of hot and dry Asian climate. In the middle of Chorsu Bazaar is the central dome, the most recognisable symbol of the market. The outside, decorated with blue tiles, reflects the sunshine and the traditional style of Uzbekistan.

The tendency of construction of such bazaars with a complex of covered premises began in XI century and went on up to XIII century.

The central part of bazaar is the main magnificent domed construction. It is the winter three-storey building of bazaar with elevator system. The lowest storey is basement passages with numerous back rooms. Middle and upper floors are the system of shops.

It exudes the architectural starkness typical of Soviet Modernism. However, the blue and turquoise tiling decorating its dome looks decidedly Islamic.

The blending of the two styles is visually arresting. It’s also a farcry from the drab, soulless designs often associated with Sovietera architecture.

Built in 1980, the market was one of the many buildings in Central Asia developed under the Soviet regime that controlled much of the region, from Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, during the second half of the 20th century.

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Most of these constructions display equally composite aesthetics, colours and motifs, offering a different take on the standard socialist architecture of the former eastern.

Open air market The Chorsu Bazaar has a vast open-air market where you’ll find carefully woven carpets sit next to glistening ceramics, which in turn are neighbours of shiny watermelons, plump raisins and juicy apricots. But here, locals still source for spices, vegetables, dried fruits, traditional and modern apparel, including carpets.

This world-famous bazaar specializes in everything from jewellery, ceramics, pottery, national costumes, housewares and much-more. It is always bustling and well worth visit even if you do not intend to buy. On counters of this oriental Bazaar you will find fresh fruits, amber-coloured dried fruits, toasted bread (lepeshka), fresh meat, kazy (horse meat sausage), and what not… And all these things are so attractive that one can’t stand to pass by them. Next to bazaar there are chaykhanas, where you can taste amber yellow plov, fragrant shashlik (grilled meat), hot shurpa (soup).

There are shoe stores and handicraft shops, stalls that sell traditional clothes and row after row of stalls selling national duppi, the traditional Uzbek men’s cap. You’ll also find many chaykhana or ‘tea houses’ where you can stop to have a hot tea and shashlik kebabs.

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Uzbek street food It may not be apparent right away, but Chorsu Bazaar is also a wonderful spot to try traditional Uzbek street food. The street food vendors are extremely friendly and usually more than happy to feed you samples of their dishes. Even though Chorsu Bazaar is very important to local life in the city, it still doesn’t receive many tourists. So, when one shows up, the vendors are excited to share their food and culture with them.

Some specialities Hasip. Take note that Uzbek cuisine is very heavy on meat, so vegetarians may not have much luck here when it comes to food. But if you’re a carnivore, be sure to try out the hasip, a tender lamb-intestine sausage served in a tasty broth. The sausage absorbs the flavours of the broth, which creates a flavour explosion in your mouth. If you find yourself with a sore, scratchy throat, this soup is the perfect way to soothe it!

Naryn. You also should not skip the naryn, a traditional wheat pasta dish with horse meat and onions. The pasta doesn’t have much flavour, but the gamy horse meat and acidic onions more than make up for it. It’s a dense, flavour-packed horse salad!

I strongly recommend you buy kurut, a Central Asian snack which consists of dried cheese balls. They are eaten all across the region but, here, you will find one hundred types of kurut, filled with all kinds of herbs and other ingredients.

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Khanum. One of my favourite things to do in Tashkent was to try the khanum at Chorsu Bazaar. It’s like a thin dumpling that is packed with thinly sliced potatoes and coated in a sauce made from tomatoes and chilies. It’s served topped with onions and tastes similar to Italian pastas.

Beef Kebabs and Green Tea. You also can’t miss the beef kebabs, which are cooked with lamb fat. The combination of the two made it one of the most phenomenal kebabs I’ve ever had in my life. They’re tender and juicy and have a breaded crust that adds a new layer of texture that contrasts nicely with the tender meat and gelatinous fat.

Green Tea Meals in Uzbekistan are immediately followed by green tea. At Chorsu Bazaar, the tea had a splash of lime in it, which really helped my dry, scratchy throat.

Exploring the Dome After you’ve eaten your fill (or before, depending on your preference), be sure to check out the domed bazaar. There, you’ll find vendors selling clothes and gorgeous crafts like pottery and decorative plates. But Chorsu Bazaar is known for its meat vendors, who sell various cuts of horse, chicken, lamb, and beef.

You can also find sausages, various organ meats, and even cow bones!

On the upper floor of the domed bazaar, you’ll find vendors who mostly sell spices and dried fruit. Like the vendors in other parts of the market, they’re very friendly and allowed me to sample

some of their goods. Don’t miss the chewy dried apricot and dehydrated kiwi – they’re both unreal!

The Souvenir market.

Lastly, you’ll want to check out the on-site souvenir market, which you’ll reach by winding your way through the clothing vendors. There, you’ll see vendors offering clothing and accessories like hats, vests, bags, and leather boots. You can also find more decorative plates, fruit bowls, jewellery boxes, pottery, and much more. It’s a great spot to buy gifts for friends and family!

Enjoy The market is liveliest first thing in the morning when the wholesale deliveries are made, and the cheap chai and kebab stalls provide ample sustenance while you watch the world go by. Come here to get a feel for ‘real’ Tashkent and an echo of Silk Road trade in centuries past.

Chorsu Bazaar is located behind a distinctly looking 16th century Kukeldash Madrassah and the Friday Mosque in Tashkent. 57 Tafakkur ko’chasi Note: Like most markets in Tashkent it is open every day of the week from early morning and late in the evening Chorsu is partly closed on Mondays.

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Uzbekistan

THROUGH FOUR SEASONS 8I\X F] 0EQSPE 2EOLQYHOLSHNEIZE

Uzbekistan is a rich country; rich in hospitable people, thousand-year history, centuries-old culture and lively traditions. But what attracts tourists to the country at any time of the year? Each WIEWSR MR 9^FIOMWXER Sǯ IVW WSQIXLMRK HMǯ IVIRX E TERSVEQMG ZMI[ SJ E ZEWX PERHWGETI E NS]JYP GYPXYVEP JIWXMZEP SV E WTIGMEP HMWL ǰ PPIH [MXL MRKVIHMIRXW SRP] EZEMPEFPI EX XLEX XMQI SJ ]IEV 0EQSPE 2EOLQYHOLSHNEIZE XEOIW YW SR E NSYVRI] XLVSYKL 9^FIOMWXER MR EPP JSYV WIEWSRW

Winter We begin our excursion to sunny Uzbekistan in the winter season. Sometimes it seems like people who have never visited Uzbekistan are misinformed, thinking that it is always hot and there is no snow. Deserts are just one landscape of Uzbekistan, but in the eastern mountain ranges, there is snow galore. Winter here is best spent enjoying many ski resorts, such as Amirsoy Mountain Resort and Chimgan. Skiing, snowboarding, sledding,

snow shoeing or just warming up in a hot tub away from the hustle and bustle of the city are just a few of the options.

Uzbekistan’s ski resorts are top-notch, comparable with any European or North American resorts, but of course with a particular and unique Uzbek spin. And there are fewer visitors in the winter, making this an ideal time to really get away from it all.

Spring Beautiful spring. It's a time to take a walk and enjoy blooming trees and flowers, to get acquainted with local sights in fair weather and to discover something fresh in the newness of a budding year. Spring is a very popular time to visit Uzbekistan, which is not surprising as there is plenty to see in this season.

This is the most popular time to organise exhibitions: local street parties where you can browse and buy handmade national clothing, accessories, crafts and art. Perfect for a springtime wander.

And, of course, we can’t talk about spring in Uzbekistan without mentioning the most important national holiday: Navruz. The traditional Persion New Year, this holiday is celebrated annually on March across Central Asia, and heralds the arrival of spring.

Uzbeks go all-out for Navruz celebrations, with feasts, sporting events, family gatherings and performances. Many people dress up in national costumes. The traditional food to eat during Navruz is sumalak, a festive delicacy of wheat-grain made into a porridge and typically eaten with bread and tea. Sumalak is an ancient dish surrounded by lore; one tradition is to throw a few pebbles into the pot. According to legend, whoever gets a stone in their bowl will soon find happiness. In addition to sumalak, a whole array of national dishes is prepared for Navruz, making spring a particularly good time for foodies to experience Uzbekistan.

LANDSCAPE

Summer Summer is the best time of the year to explore the mountains of Uzbekistan, which offer beautiful views, cooler weather and a variety of outdoor activities, such as hiking and horse riding.

Summer is also the season for Uzbekistan’s culinary gold stars: its fresh fruits and vegetables. Uzbek produce is mainly grown organically and eaten fresh from the vine. Though well-endowed with the gamut of fruits, from berries and peaches to grapes and pears, the most beloved of Uzbekistan’s harvest are its melons. Nowhere else in the world will you eat honeydew melon,

cantaloupe and watermelon so juicy and ripe. Visitors come to Uzbekistan in summer just taste them, and it’s really worth it. The best places to shop for fresh summer produce is in the bazaars (local markets), where you can buy fruits and local sweets such as halva, a crunchy, sweet treat made from seeds or nuts.

Visiting Uzbekistan in the summer offers a full picture of local life, as people are out on the streets, shopping, cooking, taking in performances and enjoying the long, warm summer days. A good way to dive deeper into Uzbek life is to arrange a tour to a rural farm. There are many just outside Tashkent, where you can tour the farm, meet the farmers and learn about rural life.

Autumn

Year-Round

And so we come to the most mysterious time of the year: autumn. The fall is the best time of year to enjoy Uzbekistan’s natural beauty. The heat of summer has subsided but the cold winter winds haven’t yet picked up, and the leaves and plants are flourishing into their fall colours. Autumn is the best time to see the main sights of Uzbekistan: the Silk Road monuments are particularly beautiful under crisp, blue skies, and there are fewer visitors at these hotspots than during the summer. In Tashkent, a number of outdoor parks and gardens offer respite from the busy city, including the Botanical Garden, the Japanese Garden, the central parks and the Ankhor Canal. Autumn is also the harvest season, and the perfect time to sample Uzbekistan’s lesser known wine culture. A variety of wine tours are organised in autumn, which offer the chance to not only sample local wines, but also see how they are made.

There are plenty of things to do all year-round in Uzbekistan, such as visiting the ancient cities of Bukhara and Samarkand, and checking out museums, exhibitions and sporting events.

One year-round highlight in Tashkent is the TV Tower. The country’s tallest building at 375m, it offers beautiful views of the whole city all year-round.

Likewise, sampling Uzbekistan’s cuisine is a year-round favourite, and there are seasonal dishes to taste throughout the year.

No matter what time of year you’ve chosen to visit. There is so much to see and do all through the year, you’ll have to come back to experience Uzbekistan in every season!

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HERITAGE

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

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Before becoming an important centre for the development and spread of world religions, in ancient times the modern territory of Uzbekistan was a place of great migrations for nomadic civilisations. These groups brought with them ideas about the universe and the nature of spiritual matters. Over the course of two millennia, several complex and ideologically powerful religions – namely Zoroastrianism, Buddhism and Islam – gradually gained influence in the region. But those early belief systems were not relegated only to archaeological finds and ancient annals. Look closely and we can see the influence of early cults and traditions across modern life in Uzbekistan, from handicraft and architectural designs to holiday and family rituals, healing practices and even language.

NAVRUZ Many modern religions contain unexpected influences from paganism, which have survived despite their

otherwise strict canons. For example, the Muslim cult of saints arose out of traditional, local, pre-Islamic beliefs.

Since ancient times, the agricultural population of Central Asia revered the elements and forces of nature. There were many fertility cults and related calendar and astral cults that became the basis for Central Asia’s most important holiday: Navruz, the Persian New Year. Sometimes called the ‘New Day’, Navruz falls on the Spring Equinox and personifies eternally resurrecting nature.

The celebration of Navruz on 21 March was banned in some periods under the atheistic Soviet regime, but nowadays it is celebrated at the state level in all Central Asian countries and is included on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Few people remember the Zoroastrian roots of this festivity, and most modern Uzbeks don’t worship the elements of nature, but every spring, families and neighbourhoods happily gather around the fire on which ritual sumalak (wheat-grain porridge) – the traditional dish of Navruz – is cooked overnight.

39 HORSE CULTS As in many primal societies, religion in ancient Eurasian cultures manifested itself mainly through the rituals of daily life, like preparation for hunting and funeral rites. Archaeological remains are the primary sources for reconstructing these ancient religious rites and beliefs.

Burial sites also show evidence of animal sacrifice, especially of horses, but also dogs and oxen. Horse sacrifice among the Sakas, who populated Central Asia at the turn of the first millennium, is mentioned by Herodotus, as is a water taboo and drinking vessels made from the skulls of slain enemies. All of these customs are found later among various Turkic peoples.

The Sakas also had a fire cult and a related cult of the sun. Herodotus quotes Tomyris, the 6th-century BCE queen of the Massagetae tribe, as swearing “by the Sun our master” and remarks that “the only god they worship is the Sun, to which they sacrifice horses: the idea behind this is to offer the swiftest animal to the swiftest of gods.” It is not surprising that solar symbols are still a popular adornment on women's jewellery amulets and, especially, in the motifs of suzani embroidery, which can be found in the remote mountainous regions of Urgut and Nurata in the Samarkand region. Likewise, images of heavenly, winged horses can be seen on the wall paintings of the 7th century found at the site of Afrasiab.

TOTEMS The totems of ancient Turkic peoples are preserved in several traditional rituals and customs of Uzbek culture, the traces of which survive in the names of Uzbek places and ethnic groups, folklore and ritual symbols. The most common totems were plants and animals, such as the wolf, bear, eagle, snake, goat, sheep, bull and trees.

As in the Vedic culture of the Indian subcontinent, the agricultural peoples of the East associated water – which gives fertility to the soil and has a powerful productive force – with the image of a bull. The earliest images of a Paleolithic bull can be seen among more than 5000 rock paintings in the famous Sarmishsai

petroglyph site in the Navoi region.

The image of a half-bull, half-man with a beard was also found on a fragment of a large vessel discovered in the TaliBarzu area of Samarkand. It is known as ‘Gopatshah’ or ‘the shepherd king’. The same character is depicted on a stone seal dating from the 5–4th centuries BCE, which is now kept in the State Museum of History of Uzbekistan. The first mythological progenitor of the Turkic dynasties, Oguz Khan, is also associated with a bull.

The wolf was another popular Turkic totem. According to Chinese authors, the words buri (wolf) and khan were synonymous among the Turkic peoples in the 6th century. Ancient myths often depict the wolf as the revered great ancestor of the Turkic tribes and so it was

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considered a sacred animal. The wolvish legacy is also captured linguistically in the names of two cultural groups: the Baiburi tribe (Uzbek-Kungrats) and the Baibura tribe (Karakalpaks). The Kungrats of the Surkhandarya region had a custom to place the teeth, nails, flesh or skin of a wolf near the head of an infant to protect the child from evil spirits and the evil eye.

The use of wolf amulets and talismans (tumors) is widespread across many Uzbek traditions.

Protective symbols are still commonly portrayed in traditional crafts like suzani, gold embroidery, glazed ceramics, carpet weaving and silk production.

While wolves were undoubtedly popular, the most dominant totems in Central Asia were snakes. A number of the oldest images of snakes in the world are found in Central Asia, including on amulets and on rock carvings in the Saymalitash caves in the Fergana Valley, at Kugart Pass in the Tashkent region, and in the Ilonsai Gorge (literally, ‘the Valley of Snakes’) in the Samarkand region. But perhaps the best example is the collection of spotted snakes seen on a 2nd millennium BCE stone statue from the village of Sokh in the Fergana Valley.

It is made from a piece of black chrysotile which was polished, drilled out around the bodies of the snakes and filled with plaster. All of these characterise the snake as a creature revered by early farmers, and associated with a female deity and fertility and immortality.

SHAMANISM Shamanism was widespread in Central Asia and had an important place in the history of the Turkic peoples. The Turkic ancestors believed in spirits that provided help via shamans, known as parikhan, atakhan and momo. Shamans performed important deeds, having entered into a kind of alliance with spirits, devs (ogre-like monsters) and jinns (beings made of fire). They were often considered servants and executors of spirits, and along with folbins (fortune tellers) and some tabibs (healers), they were intermediaries with the spirit world. In addition, they could heal the sick, provide protection from ailments, find missing people or things, make

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

predictions about the future, and know details across place and time. They were also believed to guide souls into the afterlife and fight evil spirits.

Practical shamanism is still present in Uzbekistan. Traditionally, people believe that disease comes from the presence of insidious spirits. Today, there are still special individuals who are apparently able to connect with or remove spirits like the jinn and dev, as well as pari (winged spirits), lashkarlar (warrior souls), and chiltonlar (40 evil spirits). These modern-day shamans supposedly receive their abilities through ancestry or directly from earth and water deities or spirits. They can identify spirits that have harmed a patient, and have various methods to remove them and provide healing.

TENGRISM The shamanistic and animistic religion of Tengrism grew in popularity during and after the collapse of the Turkic Khaganate, which covered a vast territory from the Black Sea across Central Asia and China to the Yellow Sea. It centred around the sky-god Tengri – the main Turkic deity during the reign of Yabgu Khakan Istemi (552-576). Tengri was to the Turks what Jupiter was to the Romans and Zeus to the Greeks.

It was, in some ways, the acceptance of Tengri as a single, main god that subsequently created fertile ground for the adoption of Islam in Central Asia.

When Islam did arrive in the region, a transformation took place as it was amalgamated with local beliefs. The local population accepted Allah as the only creator-god, but continued to use the word ‘Tengri’ to refer to him, a practice that continues even now in some places.

Whether planning your first trip to Uzbekistan or revisiting different regions, it’s always a good idea to ask a tour guide or artisan about the significance of the symbols and patterns you see on handicrafts and buildings. And if you are welcomed to a traditional wedding, watch the ceremonies closely, for you’ll likely see whispers of ancient rituals. By digging a little deeper, our historical objects and archeological sites come alive through ancient customs and the curtain is pulled back on the many secrets and surprises of Uzbek culture and history!

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NATURE

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

Fruits from heaven:

FERGANA VALLEY

Text by Lalita Rassovskaya In the far southeast of Uzbekistan lies a triangle of low, fertile valley. Encircled on three sides by the western reaches of the Tien Shan Mountains, the broad Fergana Valley sweeps across Uzbekistan and into western Kyrgyzstan and northern Tajikistan.

In 329 BC, Alexander the Great’s armies marched into Fergana and founded the city of Alexandria Eschate (modernday Khujand in Tajikistan) on the southern bank of the Syr Darya river. Chinggis Khan, Timur and the Soviets all later took turns ruling parts of it. Even in the 16th century Letters of Babur, the Mughal emperor praised Fergana and its fruits: “How can you forget the beauty of this region? Even if you feel a little sad, here you can taste the sweet gifts of nature, such as melons and grapes, and immediately feel better, as if your strength has been boosted and fatigue has disappeared.”

Today, the Fergana Valley is as important a part of Central Asia as it was those centuries ago, and for the same reason: it is a rich, fertile oasis in the midst of inhospitable desert landscapes and towering mountains in every direction.

Fed by the convergence of two rivers into the mighty Syr Darya, the valley is a warm and welcoming place abundant with fruits and vegetables. The region today is popular for its unique cultures and traditions, numerous recreational areas and especially its rare fruit varieties. Fergana fruits are special and sought-after, and the region’s fresh fruit is exported as far afield as Russia, Armenia and South Korea.

Within Uzbekistan, the Fergana region is further divided into three provinces – Andijan, Namangan and Fergana. Each

local area is known for particular fruit specialties, such as apples, apricots, grapes and melons. The harvest season starts in early autumn and by September the valley is overflowing with fruit, making this the best time of year to visit.

The secret to what makes Fergana fruit so special lies in the particular cultivation and production techniques used for centuries by local farmers. Ancient methods of dried fruit production in Fergana have survived to the present. For example, this is the only place in the world where you’ll find dried apricots stuffed with peeled apricot kernels (this delicacy should be eaten sparingly, as apricot seeds contain the plant toxin amygdalin, which converts to cyanide after ingestion).

Farming is a way of life for the people of Fergana – a local saying goes: “Don’t let the ground just stay without planting anything”. Every patch of ground here is given over to vegetable gardens or orchards. Agriculture is a huge part of the local culture. Homes are brimming with flowers and indoor plants, and even apartment complexes and multistory houses have balconies overflowing with cherry tomatoes and backyard planters full of vegetables and fruits. The Fergana Valley is, quite literally, a huge heavenly garden.

Locals may be heard to boast about Fergana fruits being first-rate and they are right. Farmers here don’t use chemicals, so all fruits grown here are natural and organic, and the proof is in the rich and juicy flavours.

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BEST FERGANA FRUITS APRICOTS

GRAPES

Fergana apricots are famous for their juiciness and sweet flavour. Apricots are enjoyed fresh or dried, and are sometimes used in traditional Uzbek dishes, such as plov or shavlya, a dish made with rice, meat and vegetables.

The landscapes of the Fergana Valley are covered in vineyards – whole avenues of grapes line houses and streets, providing both crops and shade from the sun. Grapes varieties cultivated here include the Lady Finger and Shirin Shakar (both table grapes for eating), as well as other hyper-local grapes used for making wine and spirits.

APPLES Apples are grown in Namangan in the northern part of the Fergana Valley, where the soil and climate are very suitable for cultivating this kind of fruit. Namangan apples are known for being especially juicy.

POMEGRANATES Very popular in the Fergana Valley, pomegranates are mainly grown in the Quva district (in the south near the Tajik border), where they are known for their large size. The seeds are enjoyed fresh or added to traditional dishes, like plov.

MELONS Delicious, hearty and rich in nutrients, melons are ubiquitous in Fergana. There are many varieties of melons that are totally unique to Central Asia or the Fergana Valley itself, including khandalak, amiri, toshloki and umirboki. Local wisdom says that melons offer many health benefits, from increased blood circulation and skin hydration to breaking down kidney, bladder and gallstones and helping to cleanse the body as a whole. Melon seeds are even said to help with sunstroke.

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ARCHITECTURE

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

Text by Alexander Fedorov A darling of postcard views, featured in countless articles, blogs, books and albums on Soviet Modernism: ɈǘƵ RȌɈƵǶ ÇɹƦƵDzǞȺɈƊȁ ǞȺ Ɗȁ ƊȲƧǘǞɈƵƧɈɐȲƊǶ ǞƧȌȁ‫ خ‬ǶƵɮƊȁƮƵȲ IƵƮȌȲȌɨ ǏȲȌǿ ɈǘƵ ÀƊȺǘDzƵȁɈ wȌƮƵȲȁǞȺǿ ȯȌȺɈƵȲٌƊȲɈ ȯȲȌǯƵƧɈ ɈƊDzƵȺ ɐȺ Ȍȁ Ɗ ǐɐǞƮƵƮ ǯȌɐȲȁƵɯ ɈǘȲȌɐǐǘ ȌȁƵ ȌǏ ɈǘƵ ǿȌȺɈ ɩƵǶǶٌDzȁȌɩȁ ƦɐǞǶƮǞȁǐȺ Ǟȁ ÇɹƦƵDzǞȺɈƊȁ‫خ‬

2021 | ȶ

45 Built in 1974 by a team of designers led by Ilya Merport, at the planning stage the hotel was slated to be branded the ‘Intourist Hotel’ (Intourist being the primary Soviet travel agency) and was to be smaller with fewer floors. But at the time, Tashkent was becoming increasingly important as the ‘Eastern Facade and Showcase City’ of the Soviet Union, and there was a flood of international events and tourist flow to the city. So, the plans for the hotel were scaled up, making it into one of the most important construction projects of the time. Designed primarily to receive large groups, such as participants in international competitions and conferences, the number of floors was increased to 17 and the capacity went up from the initially planned 750 to a whopping 900 guests.

Comparisons have been made with the grand Cosmos Hotel, which was built several years later, as well as the famed ‘book houses’ – a series of tower blocks on New Arbat Avenue in Moscow. Hotel Uzbekistan certainly shares similarities with these structures, particularly the openbook shape of the book houses, but it also stands out with its delicate, detailed and yet structural and functional features.

It represents a kind of synthesis of two stylistically different directions of Modernism: Orientalism and Brutalism.

Brutalism is most present in the large details on the hotel’s eastern facade and the monumentality of the building with its almost ‘blank’ ends and a plastic ‘visor’ on the roof of the restaurant block.

Due to Tashkent’s sunny, warm climate, there was an urgent need for additional cooling systems. The designers did this by adding an aluminium screen on the western facade, which had a functional purpose and served as an expression of both Uzbek Modernism and vivid Orientalism.

This sun screen was later nicknamed the ‘paranja’ (Uzbekstyle burqa or ‘pandjara’ in some sources).

Structurally, the hotel building consists of a highrise tower with residential rooms adjacent to a two-storey stylobate (base with columns). The stylobate and the addition of a wide entrance staircase emphasise the building’s monumentality and enhance its height.

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ARCHITECTURE

Adjacent to the high-rise tower, the two-story section forms a courtyard with a gallery that offers improved aeration in summer months. A restaurant is situated around the free space of the courtyard, which also contains a teahouse overlooking a reflecting pool designed to keep the space comfortable even when the temperature soars above 45°C. Sufas (in Arabic architecture, a protruding stone ledge or bench) in the form of cantilever slabs hang over the pool. The use of sliding panels (glass in aluminum bindings) in the enclosing structures made it possible to connect all rooms with the courtyard. The courtyard is accessed from the gallery via a spiral staircase made of monolithic, reinforced concrete. A sun screen was installed over the patio to shelter the space from direct sunlight.

Tashkent lies in a heavily seismic zone, so the highrise part of the building was reinforced with a metal frame to protect it from earthquakes. A two-storey basement made of monolithic, reinforced concrete with 100cm-thick, 9m-high walls serves as a box-like foundation. The frames of all of the building’s blocks were designed for nine-point seismic loads. Each block was separated from each other by anti-seismic seams and articulated, reinforced concrete beams with support systems to prevent damage from earthquake shockwaves.

Hotel Uzbekistan, much like the country itself, has welcomed countless guests over the years, from almost every nation in the world. In the 1980s, the International Film Festival of Asia, Africa and Latin America was held in Tashkent every two years, and Hotel Uzbekistan hosted guests from across the globe. During its time, the hotel has seen major historical changes, been home to visiting dignitaries and served as a temporary haven for people attending important festivals and events.

Despite generally good preservation of the building’s facades, the repainting of the western side, which has become polychrome, and a new foreign-style visor over the entrance spoil the overall impression. The reconstruction of the interiors was associated with the destruction of some of the works of monumental art that were located here.

Today, Hotel Uzbekistan remains a landmark of Tashkent and is open to guests. You can make a reservation via most hotel booking sites – rooms have splendid views of the city centre. Even if you’re not staying overnight, you can grab a drink and take in Tashkent from the panoramic windows of the bar on the top floor. Though there are better-value places to stay in Tashkent for overall experience, the location and architectural splendour of the hotel is unmatched.

The state share of the hotel (80.13%) was sold to a Singaporean company in 2020. Within two years, the building will be renovated without changing the facade, though what will happen to the hotel is anybody’s guess.

We can only hope it won’t suffer the sad fate of most of the architectural monuments of international importance of this period in Tashkent, and that this symbol of Uzbek architecture will be preserved for generations to come.

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

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TRAVELLING IN UZBEKISTAN POST-COVID FAQs What you need to know before and during your visit to Uzbekistan

Common Questions Should I have a PCR test for COVID-19 and / or been vaccinated before travelling to Uzbekistan?

Yes, you should have a negative PCR test, issued up to 72 hours before departure. However, it is not obligatory to be vaccinated from COVID-19.

Do I have to take an express-test at the airport before entering the country?

No, foreign visitors can enter the country without taking express-test at the airport if they have negative PCR test responding to international quality standards.

How are people from “yellow” and “red” zone countries admitted?

Persons arriving from “yellow” and "red" zone countries fill out a questionnaire-obligation and will be required to observe a 14-day self-isolation at their place of residence or hotel. Persons arriving from countries in the “green” zone category are admitted directly to the territory of Uzbekistan without quarantine (except those with symptoms of coronavirus infection).

Can I visit entertaining complexes as amusement parks, sightseeing attractions, museums, theaters, etc.?

All entertaining complexes are open across the country. Sanitary conditions at those places meet national requirements, including temperature check, compulsory wearing masks, and gloves for employees.

(Information is relevant by the day of publishing and can be changed according to the decision of special Commission).

Are cafes and restaurants open?

Yes, they are. According to the latest information, the restrictions on the working hours of eating places have been eased.

Do I need to wear a mask?

Yes, it is compulsory to wear a mask everywhere in public in Uzbekistan. But masks may be removed while dining or drinking.

What do I need to know about taking public transport (any new requirements or changes to schedules/ticketing)?

Passengers should wear masks while in the transport.

Train and flight schedules are not fully back to normal yet.

More info about flights: uzairways.uz More info about trains: railways.uz

What happens if I get sick while I am in Uzbekistan?

If a visitor feels sick and suspects COVID-19 infection, they must seek medical attention (via their tour guide/ hotel reception desk or otherwise) and be PCR tested.

Treatment can be either in a hospital or in another location, depending on conditions. If a foreign tourist gets sick with COVID-19 while in Uzbekistan, they will get up to $3,000 as a compensation for their treatment within “Uzbekistan. Safe travel GUARANTEED” program.

To qualify, travelers must be on an organized group tour.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports’ official website has detailed information on COVID-19 for visitors: https://uzbekistan.travel/en/o/covid-19-inuzbekistan/ or contact to unified Call-center by number 1173

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EXPERIENCE

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

-S[ SRI TMSRIIVMRK QER FVSYKLX [MRIQEOMRK XS XLI MPO 7SEH Text by Dmitry Kostyushkin Samarkand’s rich history and stunning UNESCO-listed monuments are no secret – Registan Square, the marvellously tiled Shah-i-Zinda necropolis and the old town draw people from around the world. In the colonial quarter, hidden among European structures from the late 19th century, you’ll find Khovrenko Winery, located in an old merchant mansion that belonged to Central Asian winemaking pioneer, Dmitry Lvovich Filatov. Today, visitors can explore Filatov’s mansion and visit the winemaking museum and tasting hall to sample Samarkand wines.

Winemaking in Samarkand Through the Ages The sweet wines of Samarkand have been known since the 4th century BC, when Alexander the Great conquered the city, then part of legendary Sogdiana. Although wine was prohibited for a period under Islamic rule, a number of those early artisanal wineries kept working, perhaps ‘helping’ medieval Uzbek poets and scholars to expand their creativity. The 11th century polymath Ibn Sina (Avicenna) later outlined the negative and positive effects of wine in his Canon of Medicine.

Modern winemaking in Uzbekistan began in 1868, when ambitious Russian merchant Dmitry Filatov planted new vineyards and started making wine in Samarkand. More than 150 years later, his winery is still in operation, welcoming visitors to tour the vineyard and sample its delights.

Dmitry Filatov had remarkable ingenuity and inexhaustible energy, and in the mid-19th century, when the Imperial Russian Army began its advance in the Central Asian region, Filatov got an idea. He was well aware of the needs of Russian soldiers and remembered the proverb: "War is war, but lunch is on schedule."

So he loaded up a caravan of camels with alcohol and literally followed the Tsarist troops under the command of General M.G. Chernyaev.

After the Russians captured Tashkent in 1865, Filatov was among the first to found a trading enterprise here. As the troops moved south and east and began to occupy Bukhara, Khiva and Kokand, Filatov followed, opening trading houses in all three cities that were designed to meet the needs of the first Russian settlements.

Using his experience in producing and trading alcoholic beverages during the Russian campaigns, Filatov decided to start making wine in the region on a more industrial scale. Not wanting to depend on suppliers farther afield, he bought up several tracts of land and established his own vineyards.

By 1900, his distillery was producing over 70,000 buckets of assorted wines. Filatov’s estate on Chernyaev St (modern Mahmud Kashgari St) contained houses, wine cellars and vineyards, occupying more than 40,000 sq m.

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studying winemaking in the Caucasian and Crimean regions of Russia. As a result of these trips, Filatov installed modern European machinery at his wineries, and introduced advanced methods and technologies for wine production.

A Tasting Tour BUCKETS OF WINE! Before converting to the metric system, Russian alcohol production was quantified in ‘buckets’: one bucket was roughly 12.3 litres or 1/40th of a barrel. At the turn of the 20th century, Filatov’s winery was producing about 861,000 litres, or 3826 modern barrels of wine.

Soviet Wine After Dmitry Filatov’s death in 1914, and the establishment of Soviet rule a few years later, the winery was taken over by scientist, winemaker and chemist Mikhail Khovrenko.

Khovrenko was the first professor of winemaking in Russia.

He systematised the types of wine being made, and cultivated several new varieties of grapes, which are still used to produce Uzbek wines. Khovrenko tested and introduced new technologies for wine production, and developed technological schemes for such vintage wines as Gulyakandoz, Shirin, Cabernet Liqueur, Aleatico, Uzbekiston and Farhad.

Over the years, the winery was renovated several times, and Filatov's caches were discovered, with reconstructions repeatedly revealing huge stores of the founder’s best wines.

At international auctions, Filatov wines are well regarded by connoisseurs and often go to collectors' cellars at high prices.

Today, Khovrenko Winery processes an average of 16,000 tons of grapes per year and produces several types of wines, as well as brandy and vodka. Several vintages are placed in special cellars for long-term aging, and individual wine sets go to auction.

The winery is open to visitors for a tour of the vineyards and a museum, as well as opportunities for sampling the wines.

The Filatov Winemaking Museum catalogues the history of the vineyard and Samarkand winemaking, and showcases the many international awards that the winery has won over the years.

A typical tasting session in the winery’s dedicated tasting room includes 10 sampler glasses, ranging from mild whites to a unique balsam made from a variety of herbs and only released every 10 years. You can toddle through the onsite shop, which offers all of the wines to take home at reasonable prices.

Uzbek Wines: Style and Structure With its dry, sunny climate, Uzbekistan is a fertile place for cultivating grapes. Across much of Europe, grape sweetness averages 14-18% sugar (fructose), while the varieties grown in the Samarkand region are on average 24-26%, sometimes reaching a maximum of 35%.

Not satisfied with only local varieties, despite the difficulties and considerable costs, Filatov imported and cultivated Italian, American, Caucasian and Crimean grapes in Samarkand.

Because of this, the winery has long used grape varieties like Saperavi, Riesling, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Hungarian Muscat. Filatov constantly improved the industry, travelling to France, Germany, Hungary and Switzerland, and

%ĴěƊŲƺ UńŷƊƺƙŷėĨěĸ ěŷ zŲńČŲ°ĴĴä jý ÎäŲ and Translator at the UNESCO-supported International FĸŷƊěƊƙƊä ûńŲ äĸƊŲ°ī dŷě°ĸ ƊƙÙěäŷ °ĸÙ °ĸ °Î°ÙäĴěÎ guide for Veres-Vert Travel Company.

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STORY

ANCIENT GRAINS VISIT UZBEKISTAN

STORY OF A SAMARKAND BREAD BAKER Text by Sabina Odinayeva | Photos by Feruz Rustamov Bread is one of the symbols of Samarkand. Uzbek loaves come in different types and sizes, each distinguished by unusual decorative patterns and unique taste. Numerous traditions dictate how and when to eat bread: for example, it is considered disrespectful to lay a loaf face down or to cut it with a knife. Long ago, it was a national tradition to carry a loaf on the head. In some families, this tradition is still preserved, such as in the family of baker Asliddin Khasanov.

Khasanov specialises in making heavy and nourishing Samarkand breads, baked in special tandoors. The tandoor is a boiler-shaped stove with clay-lined walls. The bread sticks to the walls and absorbs the oven’s heat. If one of the loaves happens to fall from the wall into the ash while baking, it is considered sacred.

“For the baking of Samarkand bread, the work of male hands is desirable. When you knead dough, you need strength. Well, according to tradition, only men were involved in making bread.”

The history of Asliddin Khasanov’s family bakery began with his grandfather, who started the tradition of baking Samarkand bread. Asliddin himself has been making bread since 1991 – over 30 years.

“I started baking on my own at the age of 14. That day my father died.”

The working day of the Khasanov family begins at three o'clock in the morning and finishes at 5-6pm. If they start baking at this time, then by 9am, the first batch of fresh bread is ready. Bread is prepared five to six times a day, depending on how many orders are received.

Asliddin Khasanov has five children – three sons and two daughters. The two eldest sons, Ibrohim and Normurod, help their father with the cooking process, while his wife and daughters help decorate the loaves, and their grandmother sells ready-cooked bread in the bazaar.

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A legend tells that once the khan of Bukhara asked his advisors why bread was brought from Samarkand to Bukhara, and if it could be baked in Bukhara. He was told that only bread baked in Samarkand would be tasty, but the Emir did not believe the advisors. He sent people to Samarkand to find the best breadmaker in the city and ordered him to bake bread in Bukhara. But the bread still didn't work out as it should. The advisors thought hard and racked their brains, and decided that the reason was because of the ingredients. They brought a tandoor from Samarkand, along with flour, water and absolutely everything that was required. But even then, the bread did not turn out the same as in Samarkand. Then the master said: ‘It’s probably because of the air.’ However, the air could not be transported, so soon he was allowed to return home, and people began again, as before, to carry bread from Samarkand.

51 Every guide in Samarkand knows the house of Asliddin Khasanov the baker. Tourists visit the bakery with great interest, watching the process of making a crispy, steaming Samarkand loaf. The moment of greatest joy is in taking a delicious piece of Samarkand home to share it with loved ones.

Breaking bread is like touching the history of the city, because the recipes have been used for centuries. This bread is famous for its taste and special properties that mean it does not harden for a long time. A real Samarkand loaf, kept at room temperature, can be saved and eaten for up to 10-14 days. Put it in the fridge and it can be stored for two to three months.

According to another legend, the bread was made to be longlasting so that soldiers could take it with them on campaigns.

The bread never became mouldy, and all that was needed was a sprinkle of water before reheating and the loaves would regain their original shape and freshness.

It is a special mission for Asliddin Khasanov’s children to continue the family tradition. “There is no secret ingredient in Samarkand bread. We make it from flour, yeast, water and salt.

It all depends on the method of cooking and, of course, the love put into this bread,” says Khasanov.

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SPORT

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

Text by Valeriya Galikhanova

Sports tourism is a memorable way to see and discover a destination from a unique perspective. Sporting events and outdoor pursuits create opportunities for travellers to get acquainted with the local culture while also participating in a unique activity. Uzbekistan has many special opportunities to develop sports tourism, too: trail races, hiking challenges, marathons, jeep trials, paragliding and wild swimming are just a few of the exciting activities that travellers can participate in here.

According to the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), was the worst year on record for global tourism, with international arrivals falling by % due to COVID- . But despite this downturn, the pandemic has provided an opportunity to consider new pathways for Uzbekistan to restart its tourism economy in more sustainable and resilient ways.

Recent years have seen growing interest around the world in health and fitness trends, and the time is right for Uzbekistan to invest in developing sports tourism, with the need for social distancing and bodily health at the top of travellers’ priorities.

Before the pandemic, Uzbekistan was enjoying year-on, the country welcomed year increases in foreign visitors. In . million travellers – up from . million arrivals the year before. While only . million foreign tourists visited Uzbekistan last year, domestic tourism grew to million people during this period.

On October , , the President signed Decree No. , “On measures for the widespread introduction of a PFhealthy lifestyle and the further development of mass sports”.

This decree includes a number of measures that support the development of the sporting industry.

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As the pandemic is gradually on the decline and the world begins to come out of hibernation, plans are afoot in many places to revive events and festivals that were cancelled or moved online last year due to lockdowns. A number of Uzbek sporting events have already been held or restarted post-pandemic.

Restart Timeline Nov 2020 – Mar 2021: Save Aral runs held in major Uzbek cities Jan 2021: First-ever winter equestrian polo match held on snow in Amirsoy Feb 2021: Chimgan Ski Battle held in the Bostanlyk district of Tashkent, promoting winter mountain sports like alpine skiing, snowboarding and mountain tourism Mar 28: Tashkent International Marathon

The country also continues its preparations to host the Asian Sambo Championship, the World Judo Championship and the Asian Football Confederation U23-2022 Asian Cup, all of which are scheduled for 2022.

Uzbekistan is very diverse and accessible all year round, and there are a huge array of potential sports and activities that could contribute to its tourism economy. Laid-back activities for almost any visitor, such as cycling tours of cities, historical sites and mountain areas, will be popular and easy to set up. Light adventure treks, like hiking and horse riding, are perfect for exploring Uzbekistan’s many picturesque valleys and mountains.

There is also water tourism – especially wild swimming in lakes and reservoirs – and races, such as trail runs, duathlons and triathlon competitions. Winter sports, including skiing and snowboarding, are on the rise in the mountain resorts of Amirsoy, Chimgan, Beldersay. And a variety of other adventure

and alternative sports like skateboarding, mountaineering, rock climbing, canyoning and paragliding are all excellent options for development in Uzbekistan.

Hosting large-scale international sporting events can draw new types of tourists and creates sporting infrastructure beneficial to both the host city and the country as a whole. And investing in sporting activities offers the chance to freshen up Uzbekistan’s image internationally while attracting a segment of travellers that might not have considered visiting the country otherwise. Sports tourists take away a lasting impression, too, not just of historical sights but of challenges tackled and new goals achieved, which will encourage visitors to return again and again to try new things.

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VISIT UZBEKISTAN

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AUTOGRAPH ART GALLERY 1, Ataturk st., Mirabad district, Tashkent tel: (+998) 71 203 00 33 web: autograph.uz

BEGIM PARFUM GALLERY 1. 7, Shahrisabz st., Yunusabad district, Tashkent tel: (+998) 71 233 84 84

HYATT REGENCY TASHKENT

2. “Samarqand Darvoza” mall 5A, Karatash st., Shaykhontohur district, Tashkent tel: (+998) 71 205 03 64

1 A, Navoiy Street, 100017, Tashkent, Uzbekistan tel: (+998) 71 207 12 34 web: www.hyatt.com

3. “Kontinent” mall 2, Mirabad st., Yakkasaray district, Tashkent tel: (+998) 71 256 61 66 4. “Mega Planet” mall 2B, Ahmad Donish st., Yunusabad distict, Tashkent tel: (+998) 71 150 87 58 5. “Next” mall 6, Bobur st., Yakkasaray district, Tashkent tel: (+998) 71 230 75 34 6. “Compass” mall 17, Tashkent Ring Automobile Road, Mirabad District, Tashkent tel: (+998) 71 205 15 85 web: parfumgallery.uz

PASADO RESTAURANT & BAR

COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT

YUSUF KhOS KhOD Jib S t., 72 (YakkaS aray district). tel: (+998) 71 215 50 44 web:pasado.uz

Kichik Beshyogoch Street 126 Tashkent, 100013 Uzbekistan tel: (+998) 71 202 23 33 web:marriott.com

HORI JAPANESE PAN-ASIAN RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 45, Makhumtumkuli str., Tashkent tel: (+998) 71 233 60 66 BASILIC MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 19, A. Temur str., Tashkent tel: (+998) 71 233 99 05

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