Visit Uzbekistan 17th Issue

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Official partner

Tourism Development Committee of Uzbekistan Founded by

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he Editorial Board of Visit Uzbekistan and the State Committee for Tourism Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan invite you to an extraordinary journey.

This journey will help you learn about the amazing country, which combines heritage and modernity, traditions of the East and innovations of the West, in a word, the multifaceted heart of Central Asia.

The country of colors and contrasts combines hot deserts and azure rivers, modern cities and nomads’ yurts, a miriad of religious monuments and sacred places, the history of which totals more than 3000 years.

Investment opportunities, the prospects for cooperation between countries in the economy, education, culture, art, tourism and many other areas continue to expand. And we hope that the pages of our magazine will again inspire you to new discoveries and wide horizons.

Now Uzbekistan is even closer with introduction of visa-free regime for 63 countries, simplified electronic visa and visa-free transit procedures for the rest. The number of direct flights to Uzbekistan is increasing.

Editor-in-chief Dinara Dultaeva Graphic designer Olga Silenko Editor Yulduz Latipaeva Editorial team Nigora Jamalova, Zarnigor Usmanova Contributors Alexandra Stimban Kseniya Dasaeva Proofreading Malika Mukimova Photography Alokhon Abdullaev Andrey Arakelyan Mukhidin Alee Anastasia Kim COVER Main author: Dilnoza Umirzakova Model: Parizod Photographer: Farrukh Isamukhamedov Dress: ANOR atelier Image Maker: Saodat Saidberdieva Jewelry: Ramz jewellery Stylist: Zubayda Rakhimova Assistant: Azamat Pulatov Visit Uzbekistan magazine №17 Сirculation 3000 Dinara Media Relations PC Dinara&Co. Trademark Tel.: (+998 93) 500 55 65 www.dinara.co The magazine is registered by Press and Information Agency of Uzbekistan on 12.05.2017. Registration number N 0915 ISSN 2181-9254 Pre-printing works by “Print-X” Itd. Printed by “Print.uz” 41/2, Mirabadskaya street, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Order № 1234567890 All rights reserved. © Dinara&Co. © Dinara Dultaeva

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Contents

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

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INVESTMENTS 10 reasons

HERITAGE “Find the best in Uzbekistan”

to invest in tourism in Uzbekistan

Suzanne: Map by regions

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LANDMARK Palace Nurullabay European Style and Oriental Luxury

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INTERVIEW Ambassadors of the Arab World in Uzbekistan History, current state and prospects of development the relations between our countries

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NATURE

GALLERY

Falconry is not simply the art of hunting game

Jewelry Art of Uzbekistan

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LANDMARK Pearl of Bukhara Sitorai Mohi Khosa Palace

ART MY PERFECT DAY Dr. Lina Al-Gharaibeh

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investments

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

10 REASONS TO INVEST IN TOURISM IN UZBEKISTAN

The tourism industry of Uzbekistan has a significant potential as the liberalisation of the country’s economy attracts more and more international investors. In 2018 the tourist flow to Uzbekistan increased twice compared to 2017. Travelers vote high for Uzbekistan in opinion polls and ratings of National Geographic, Lonely Planet, AirBnB and sources. Being at the beginning of new economic endowments is perhaps the best thing that can happen to investments. Our editorial team has prepared a checklist, why it is worth investing in tourism industry of Uzbekistan right now.

1. GOVERNMENT SUPPORT Government shows a great interest in the development of tourism infrastructure, providing assistance in simplification of processes and encouraging in this segment. The State Committee on Tourism of Uzbekistan presented the Concept for the development of tourism in the country until 2025, where the priorities are: development of tourism and related infrastructure, formation of an accessible and comfortable tourist environment; implementation and strengthening of the social role of external and domestic tourism; improving the quality and competitiveness of the tourist product of Uzbekistan in the domestic and global markets.

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4. NEW TOURIST ZONES

2. LIBERALIZATION OF ECONOMY

Free tourism zones are created in Uzbekistan, providing attractive conditions for the construction and operation of hotel and cultural and recreational complexes, shopping and entertainment centres, and other facilities. Among them are Chimgan-Charvak resort area in the Tashkent region, Tashkent City and Samarkand City projects, Ancient Bukhara and others.

Over the past two years, in the various world rankings, including the World Bank Doing Business, a huge dynamics of changes in the economy of Uzbekistan is visible. In the Ease of Doing Business index - in 2018 Uzbekistan is on the 11th line. Simplification of procedures in the field of hotel business and tourism services continues, including the abolition of certain types of licensing, the transfer of the regulatory function of local authorities to the practice of public control. Cross-border trade and relations between the countries of Central Asia are developing, which leads to an increase in the flow of regional tourists, as well as new opportunities for combined tours and services.

5. TOURIST KLONDIKE

3. TAX INCENTIVES Companies that take part in the construction and modernization of hotels are exempt from taxes for a period of 5 years.

For companies that build thematic and ethno-parks these tax incentives are given for 3 years. Foreign specialists working in local hotels are exempt from income tax. Import of specialised equipment and components for the hospitality industry is exempted from custom fees for 5 years. Customs exemptions for the importation of specialized equipment and components for the hospitality industry are valid for 5 years. Entrepreneurs are provided unused land in perspective areas for the development of tourism, with the right of exemption from land tax. Longterm loans (up to 15 years) with minimal interest and flexible conditions are allocated for the construction and modernization of tourist infrastructure facilities.

Uzbekistan has a huge tourism potential: food tourism; mountain and eco-tourism; tourism on the cultural and historical heritage of the country; alpine skiing tourism; pilgrimage tourism in holy places.

Currently demand exceeds supply in all areas of tourism in Uzbekistan: from infrastructure to tour operators, guides and quality service. Small presence of well-known international hotel brands and high demand for affordable hostels and guest houses opens many opportunities for investment. The low level of competition is evident in the field of smart tourism solutions, the implementation of IT at cultural heritage sites, the development of audio guides for museums, convenient smart-navigation around the cities, online services for booking, etc.

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6. VISAS The visa-free regime for citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Germany, Georgia, Israel, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Moldova, the Republic of Korea, Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Singapore, Turkey, France and Japan contributes to the greater interest towards Uzbekistan and an increase of the tourist flow. Special online services as E-Visa and E-Mehmon were introduced to simplify the registration and visa procedures. E-Visa system allows to obtain visa within three days and provides a convenient transit regime for tourists up to 5 days, which does not require a visa when transferring through Uzbekistan.

7. INTELLECTUAL POTENTIAL Uzbekistan is attractive for many business enterprises, thanks to the relatively affordable cost of local specialists. At the same time, the level of education, language skills and talent of the younger generation is reasonably high. More than 500 000 graduates enter the labor market annually, including graduates from international universities and colleges in the tourism and services sectors. In 2018 International Tourism University “Silk Road� launched in Samarkand. This university will prepare professionals and researchers in the field of international tourism.

8. FESTIVALS More and more international cultural, musical, thematic and sporting events are taking place in Uzbekistan.

Festivals and national holidays are celebrated throughout the country almost all year round.

Especially, in the high tourist season, in spring and autumn, vivid festivals and bright events are held in several regions of the country at once. International music festivals such as Makom, Sharq Taronali in Samarkand, Adras Festival in Margilan, Boysun Bahori (Boysun Spring) in Surkhandarya there are many reasons to visit the country.

9. SAFETY Uzbekistan is known as a stable and religiously tolerant country. For several years in a row, Uzbekistan has taken the leading place in the ranking of the safest countries. There is a tourist police in all cities, providing comfortable and safe stay of tourists, and even information support to some extent.

10. HOSPITALITY Finally, a pleasant bonus of being in the country and doing business here is the sincere and hospitable people.

As a rule, all guests note the sincerity, openness and friendliness of the people.

Rich heritage, colourful traditions and deep respect for the guests - this will make you want to return to Uzbekistan more often.

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VISA-FREE UZBEKISTAN

The visa-free entry to Uzbekistan is valid for citizens of the following countries: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Germany, Georgia, Israel, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Moldova, Russia, Singapore, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, France, Japan, Australia, Austria, Andorra, Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Vatican, Great Britain, Hungary, Greece, Denmark, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Canada,

Republic of Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, Croatia, Chile, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Estonia.

The visa-free entry allows to stay in Uzbekistan from up to 30 (for some countries – up to 90).

Visa-free short-term entry The procedure of short-term visa-free entry into the Republic of Uzbekistan is for transit passengers for a maximum period of five days (the list of countries available at: uzbektourism.uz and uzbekistan.travel).

The transit is valid via the international airports of the Republic of Uzbekistan when a plane ticket to a third country provided by the passenger. Đ•-Visa From 1 February 2019 Uzbekistan offers electronic visas to citizens from 76 countries of the world.

From 15 March 2019 double and multiple entry electronic visas are available with a validity of 30 days and a consular fee of 35 or 50 USD, respectively.

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Interview

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

Mr. Nasser Boucherit

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to the Republic of Uzbekistan

The current state of bilateral relations between Algeria and Uzbekistan.

Relations between our two countries have always been characterized by mutual respect and bonds of brotherhood, friendship and cooperation. The fact that we are representatives of the same Muslim civilization sphere has contributed to the strengthening of fraternal ties between our two peoples. In this context, it should be recalled that Algeria was one of the first countries to recognize the independence of Uzbekistan, and immediately opened an embassy in Tashkent, which indicates its readiness to develop cooperation with your country in all political, economic and cultural fields. In addition, adherence to the same principles that shape the foreign policy of our countries is a common denominator on which we can build long-term, strong and fruitful relations. It is useful to emphasize a very marked degree of coordination, consultation and mutual support between our two countries in the regional and international organizations to which they belong.

Recently, a new development has taken place in our relations, which opens up new perspectives in bilateral relations. We are talking about the recent exchange of messages between the two presidents, His Excellency Mr. Abdulaziz Bouteflika and his brother, His Excellency Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in which they reiterated their firm intention to expand bilateral relations to bring them to new horizons. It is expected that the year 2019 will be marked by important visits, which will give new impetus to relations between the two countries.

These prospects encourage us to redouble our efforts to realize as quickly as possible the aspirations of our two leaders, to bring relations between the two countries to a level that corresponds to their real potential and the legitimate aspirations of the two peoples in the way of their interests. In this context, I expect to use the readiness of our Uzbek partners to work together with them and to resolutely strengthen our relations. And I would add that we are open to any proposals in all areas, especially in the economic sphere. Prospects for economic relations between Algeria and Uzbekistan. Significant reforms initiated after H.P. Shavkat Mirziyoyev came to power, including the liberalization of the foreign exchange market, will certainly accelerate the trend of economic openness and attraction of investments. For our part, we are closely following these events, and the prospects for cooperation in this field with Uzbekistan are promising for many reasons, and I can name some of them: the nature of the complementarity of our two economies. In this context, Algeria, with its world-famous experience and high human resources, can share its experience and know-how with Uzbekistan. As an example, I can say that Sonatrak National Oil and Gas Company is regularly among the ten largest world companies in this sector, and the turnover of this company exceeded 35 billion US dollars in 2017. Thanks to its new policy aimed at entering the international markets, the company is already present in several countries and could establish partnerships with Uzbekneftegaz. The same can be said about the agrarian sector, the production of electronics and household appliances, where we have a very active entrepreneurial class at the international level who are looking for the establishment of mutually beneficial partnerships.

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E.P. Dr. Mohammad Tarshahani

Ms.Amani Eletr

Exceeding and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the State of Palestine in the Republic of Uzbekistan and Central Asia

Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of The Arab Republic of Egypt in Uzbekistan

Since the acquisition of independence, the Republic of Uzbekistan has held a steady position in supporting the just cause of the Palestinian people. The Republic recognized the independence of the State of Palestine, the 30th anniversary that we will celebrate this year. Uzbekistan expressed solidarity with Palestine in the pursuit of a sovereign state and supported efforts to resolve the Middle East crisis through peaceful negotiations. We value the age-old bonds of friendship and good neighborliness that unite our peoples and are determined to make all the necessary efforts to strengthen and expand friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between our countries.

At the moment, we are paying special attention to the development of economic and commercial-commercial relations. Palestine intends to cooperate with Uzbekistan in the field of culture, sport and youth, especially in the field of tourism. This year a delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and expatriates of the State of Palestine arrived in the Republic of Uzbekistan on an official visit. On August 1, 2018, the Heads of Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine, Dr. Riad Malki, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, Mr. Abdulaziz Kamilov, met in Tashkent. During the negotiations, the sides exchanged views on the state and prospects of development of Uzbek-Palestinian relations, as well as on international issues of mutual interest, also noted that relations between the two countries are developing on the basis of the principles of mutual respect, trust and interest.

Obviously, Egypt and Uzbekistan have very long historical relations. There was a time, when we called Central Asian counties “Countries beyond the river”. Such scientists like Al-Bukhari, at-Termeziy, Mirzo-Ulugbek, al-Ferghani and of course a famous philosopher and Medical scholar Abu Ali ibn Sino made a great contribution into the science of the Islamic world. Egypt played a great role in the preservation of the sciences.

Moreover, throughout the ages a lot of travelers and researchers from both countries explored and discovered each other’s lands, I am sure it is reflected in many old manuscripts.

In 1991, Egypt was one of the first countries to recognize the independence of Uzbekistan. The first president of your country Islam Karimov visited Egypt two times and we signed a number of memorandums of cooperation in different fields.

Now in Tashkent there exists Egyptian cultural center where a lot of Uzbek people study Arabic language and I should note that your people demonstrate a big interest in Arabic culture.

Recently, on the 5th of September 2018 Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi visited Uzbekistan and was received by his Excellency Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Minister of Trade of your country also visited Egypt and had negotiations about a lot of agreements and memorandums of understanding. So now our cooperation in the fields of commerce, tourism and other develop rapidly.

I think it is normal for our countries to install a close cooperation as we had many common historical and cultural aspects. Today we have common values in the fields of economics, politics and fighting against international terrorism and extremism, support of youth and we both speak about moderate islam.

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Interview

Dr. Saleh Al-Jawarine

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

Ahmad Khaled Al-Giran

Ambassador of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the Republic of Uzbekistan

Ambassador Exceeding and Plenipotentiary of the State of Kuwait to the Republic of Uzbekistan

It is a great honor for me to talk about the relationship between the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the brotherly Republic of Uzbekistan, which began in 1992 and solemnly emphasize that we really overcame our Silver Jubilee in the relations of our two countries based on brotherhood, friendship, love, appreciation and mutual respect, especially between the two heads of state. The leadership of our countries, taking advantage of every opportunity, constantly exchange views wishing good luck, best wishes, well-being, progress and prosperity to the two fraternal peoples.

The history of relations between the two countries has existed since ancient times with a bright chronicle of Islamic conquests. The complex of Kusama Ibn Abbas ibn Abdu-l-Muttalib, a cousin of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in Samarkand, is a clear testimony of our strong historical relations. We are proud of the Muslim scholars of Uzbekistan, like Imam al-Bukhari, Imam At-Tirmidhi, al-Khorezmi and other Muslim thinkers who had a great influence on Islamic sciences, played a crucial role in the development of Islamic civilization. They were the link between the sons of the Islamic Ummah, who encouraged our mentors to teach us this history-guiding story in schools and universities. Thanks to this light chronicle, and despite the fact that we had not been to Uzbekistan before we have always lived in a single athmosphere. We found and saw with our own eyes the strength of the roots of this ancient Islamic history in Uzbekistan, which was and remains the source of Islamic civilization.

We have done and continue to do everything possible to develop these interrelations since 1992 and are making every effort to achieve a high level of relations between our countries in all aspects of life.

In political terms, we have reached the signing of a protocol of political consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries, as well as at the bilateral and international levels.

I am very pleased to talk about the good relations linking the State of Kuwait with the friendly Republic of Uzbekistan at the level of governments and peoples in various fields such as political, economic, cultural and social.

Relations of the State of Kuwait with the Republic of Uzbekistan, being special, cover different areas of relations. The exchange of visits by our heads of state at the highest level has allowed us to build a legal base by signing numerous bilateral agreements and memorandums. I want to note that the State of Kuwait is one of the first states to recognize the independence of Uzbekistan, and has established diplomatic, political, economic and social relations with the republic. Currently, as a result of bilateral cultural ties between our friendly countries, many Uzbek students study in Kuwait. The Kuwaiti Fund for Arab Economic Development finances many economic and social projects in Uzbekistan. I want to emphasize that His Majesty Emir Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the ruler of the State of Kuwait, pays special attention to developing relations with friendly Uzbekistan and expanding cooperation in various fields.

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Useful Phrases

for guests of Uzbekistan Hello Good morning Good afternoon Good evening Have a nice trip All right / Ok. Goodbye How are you?

What is your name?

It’s nice to meet you Just a minute please Thank you / Thanks Please Welcome May I take a look at it?

Wow! Why it’s so expensive?

Make it cheaper!

Ok See you later I’ll come back later What time is it?

How do I get there?

How far is it?

How much is it?

What is it?

Sorry Exit/ Entry Toilet Can you help me?

My number is

Assalomu alaykum Khayrli tong Khayrli kun Khayrli oqshom Oq yo’l Yakhshi Khayr Yakhshimisiz?

Ismingiz nima?

Tanishganimdan khursandman Bir daqiqa Rakhmat Markhamat / Iltimos Khush kelibsiz.

Ko’rsam maylimi?

Voy, nega buncha qimmat?

Arzonroq qilib bering!

Kelishdik Ko’rishguncha Keyinroq kelaman Soat nechi bo’ldi?

U yerga qanday boraman?

Qancha uzoq?

Nech pul?

Bu nima?

Kechirasiz Chiqish / Kirish Xojatxona Yordam bera olasizmi?

Mening raqamim…

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Shopping

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

FROM UZ BE K I STAN

with love

The author: Ksenia Dasaeva Photographer: Anastasia Kim

Travelers can be boldly called the impression hunters. They are ready to cross the ocean in search of new adventures. The unusual souvenirs purchased in a new country keep these memories longer. Uzbekistan is no exception. It can inspire with a lot of discoveries that can surprise even the most sophisticated tourist.

Wood carving The long legacy of applied art of Uzbekistan is passed from generation to generation due to the mastery of dynasties. For example, woodcarving is one of the ancient crafts in Uzbekistan: decorations of the columns, cornices, doors of buildings, as well as caskets, book supports and others are excellent examples of it. Any tourist can purchase an item of wood with ornamental carvings. For example, Lagan.

“Lagan” is a round dish, which has a large diameter and used to serve pilaf

or fruit. “Lagan” is traditionally made of ceramic or metal, but there are also wooden lagans for decorative purposes.

Walnut, sycamore, or beech wood are used for the manufacturing of wooden lagans.

Three masters can work on one item: a woodworking master, a woodcarving master and a painting master. The cost depends on the complexity of the pattern and the size of the dish.

Price: from 800,000 to 2,500,000 million sums ($ 100-300).

Also quite popular are so-called secret boxes. These small wooden boxes with a complex opening mechanism

were used to store “kalyams” (pencils), tools for carving that were quite expensive in ancient times. Caskets are often made of walnut and decorated with ornaments. The cost starts from 100 000 sums ($ 12) and also depends on the complexity of the pattern and the size of the box itself.

In the shops where woodworkers work, you can buy a “Laykh”, a sliding stand for the Qur’an. The uniqueness of this object lies in the fact that it is made of a single piece of wood without the use of glue and nails. Moving the parts inseparable from each other, you can

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get a kind of stand on which the Qur’an is placed. For “Lavkh”, you can choose different heights: in this way people regulated the range of the Qur’an from the eyes, since in ancient times there were no spectacles. Modern craftsmen make 3-in-1 coasters: by pushing parts of the “Lavkh” in various ways, you can use it not only as a book stand, but also for tablet and smartphones. The cost starts from 80 000 sums ($ 8-10, only for the phone) and increases depending on the size of the stand and the complexity of the ornament. A medium-sized “Lavkh” will cost about 300,000 sums ($ 10-50).

Master of painting at work

Wooden lagan

Lauch

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Shopping

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Brass Lagan

Metalworks When you are traveling to Uzbekistan, pay attention to hammered iron work, because it is one of the oldest types of national craft. The first metal objects, decorated with hammered iron, Which were found during excavations in the territory of modern Uzbekistan belong to the Bronze Age. To this day, objects from copper and brass not only decorate some Uzbek houses, but they are also actively used in everyday life. For a brass “Lagan” price varies from 700,000 sums to 3,000,000 sums ($ 85- 375), it can be decorated with embossing, painting, and also has a wooden piece decorated with carvings.

Miniature

Metalworks Master

Miniature or lacquer painting on papier-mâché (pressed cardboard) is a type of visual art that flourished in the Temurid era at the beginning of the 15th century on the territory of modern Samarkand. At that time, book covers, tables, chess and small objects were covered with fine paintings. And now, going to the shop of lacquer painting, you will see how the craftsman skillfully performs his work, bending low over the box or another brooch.

Papier-mache caskets decorated with the finest patterns of flowers or miniatures can cost from 500,000 to 3,000,000 sums ($ 60-375). Brooches have a fairly loyal cost of 20,000 sums ($ 2.5). You can also buy Uzbek dolls made of pressed cardboard and dressed in the national fabric adras - Uzbek silk, made by hand.

The price of dolls depends on their size, but they also have a fairly low price range: from 10,000 to 30,000 sums ($ 1.2-3.7).

Papier mache dolls

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Pomegranate, by Israilov Asror (master of ceramics)

Ceramics If you are interested in dishes, you should pay attention to ceramic products. Today in Uzbekistan there are 6 schools of ceramics. Each of them has different production technology by the use of paints and patterns. One of the most famous schools of ceramics in the world is the Rishtan. The products of Rishtan craftsmen are made of double-fired clay, which allows using the dishes not only as an ornament for the home, but also in everyday life. Cobalt and copper oxide are used as paints; therefore, Rishtan ceramics has its characteristic blue and dark green patterns. A bowl with a diameter of 5 centimeters can cost 30,000 sums ($ 3.7), a tea set of lagan, a teapot, 6 bowls and sugar bowls cost 2,000,000 sums ($ 250). The most valuable are Lagan “Ishkor”, which are completely made of natural materials: from clay to the glaze, for which the “Ishkor” plant is used, which grows only in Uzbekistan.

The cost of such lagan starts from 1 million sums ($ 125).

Lagan Ishkor

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Shopping

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Papier Mache Box

Suzane If the masters of wood, metalworks and ceramics are usually men, then decorative embroidery is created by female hands. Silk, velvet or cotton linen embroidered with multi-colored threads is called suzane. Previously, it was created as a dowry for a girl and, according to tradition, the embroidery technique and ornament passed from mother to daughter. Colourful embroidery can be decorated with carpets, tablecloths, pillowcases, bedspreads, clothing and bags. The cost of the pillowcase is about 250,000 - 350,000 sums ($ 30-40), suzani with a size of 1x1.5 m costs 2,500,000 3,500,000 sums ($ 300-400).

Very often on the dishes, caskets, suzani patterns, you can find an image of pomegranate flowers or the fruit itself.

In Uzbekistan, it is called “anor”, and it is considered a symbol of family and well-being. In addition to the image of the “anor” on various subjects, you can find its ceramic version. The cost of author’s made suzani of a small pomegranate is 150,000 sums ($ 19), and a big one 300,000 sums ($ 38).

The art objects of Uzbek artisans amaze the guests of Uzbekistan with their originality and beauty. Whether it is a ceramic “Lagan” or a papier-mâché painted box: everything is made with love for its work and experience, handed down from generation to generation. Be sure that you are buying not just a household item or decor, but a unique souvenir

that will always remind you of the warm feelings that you will experience in Uzbekistan.

Master classes of national arts are also becoming very popular, where you can try your skills in almost all types of arts mentioned in this article, but we’ll tell you about it next time.

Boutique of national souvenirs

Address: 26/14 C-1, Tashkent, Uzbekistan Tel: +99871 2363336 +99890 9769151 www.antik.uz antik.uz (instagram, facebook, telegram) antik.uz@mail.ru

Advertisement. Services are licensed.

In our shop you can find original works by famous craftsmen of Uzbekistan.

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Heritage

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See the best in Uzbekistan 1 2

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Uzbekistan is a country of extraordinarily talented people. This talent and craftsmanship, aided by several centuries of history, finally resulted in the masterpieces of folk art which constantly remind us of the roots of the nation and preserve the identity of the national culture. For centuries, original centers of arts and crafts have been growing within our country. The main suzane centers in Uzbekistan are Shakhrisabz, Bukhara, Samarkand, Khiva, Nurata, Urgut, Gijduvan, Fergana Valley. Patterns and ornaments of each region differ in details and color. Here we represent a map of Uzbek suzane by regions.

1. Karakalpakstan 2. Navoi region 3. Khorezm region 4. Bukhara region 5. Kashkadarya region 6. Jizzakh region 7. Surkhandarya region 8. Samarkand region 9. Tashkent region 10. Syrdarya region 11. Namangan region 12. Andijan region 13. Ferghana region

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Tashkent

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12 10 13

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Landmark

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Nurullabay Palace EUROPEAN STYLE AND ORIENTAL LUXURY The National Bank for Foreign Economic Activity of the Republic of Uzbekistan makes a worthy contribution to the noble cause of preserving the monuments of the country’s past - its national heritage. The oldest monument on the territory of Uzbekistan is the Summer Palace of the Khiva Khans Nurullabay (Nurullaboy Hovlilari) in the city of Khiva. Its restoration and preservation is one of the important activities of the bank.

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his is an old palace surrounded by high walls with numerous turrets, with a courtyard and pavilions. It is built for receptions of foreign ambassadors, very richly and exquisitely decorated, consists of several ceremonial halls and rooms with elegant finishes, furniture, mirrors, bronze, chandeliers, tiled fireplaces and stoves, and other luxuries of the time.

he palace is striking in its magnificence and is very different from other palaces built by khans in different periods, it looks more like the residence of the European monarch in the Art Nouveau style. The palace was built by the rich merchant Nurullabay and presented to the Khiva Khan, but on condition that the name of the palace was kept for Nurullabay. Here German craftsmen worked on the design of door and window frames, and the stove-house was laid out by Russian stovemakers, using tiles that had been made specifically for this palace at the imperial porcelain factory in St. Petersburg. Nicholas II also presented crystal chandeliers to Khan in order to light electric bulbs.

O

n the ceiling in one of the living rooms, the patterns in the form of peacock feathers were beautifully executed and precious stones of various colors were set. Ganch carved patterns on the walls are very elegant and painted in a bronze color. In order to heat the palace in winter, seven faience (porcelain) stoves were brought from Russia. These stoves consisted of individual tiles, and they were laid down by Russian craftsmen.

T

he ganch carvings on the walls and ceilings of the palace were made by the eminent masters of that time: Ruzmet-arbab Masharipov, Usta Nurmet, Hudaibergen Haji, Kuryaz Babajanov and others. Oil painting of walls covered with carved ganch designs was carried out led by master Vaisyaz Matkarimov.

Images of flowers and angels on the ceiling, executed in the European style, were made by Russian artists.

Venetian mirrors were also used in the interior decoration.

F

or many years, the Nurullabay Palace was used as an enlightenment house, government house, museum.

Currently, after the restoration, he acquired his original appearance.

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Landmark

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Pearl of Bukhara At a distance of only four kilometers from the city of Bukhara there is a magnificent Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa palace - the summer residence Emir of Bukhara of the early 20th century.

This is the only survived sample of the palace country residences of the Bukhara Emirs. The old part of it is Abd al-Ahad Khan Palace is a traditional three-yard complex with one or two-storey buildings in the spirit of rich Bukharan houses. The new, in 1917, Seid-Alim Khan’s palace was made with a combination of local and European receptions in the form of several separate courtyards scattered in an extensive park. Various rooms, such as: birun - room for performances, darun - for reception, housing for women - harem, zoo – hayvonatkhona. Among them is the famous “White Hall” - “Khan-i Safid”, where walls are decorated with openwork carvings on ganch applied to mirrors, and not a single pattern is repeated.

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In the 18th and early 20th centuries, there was a state in the territory of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and part of Turkmenistan - the Bukhara Emirate.

It was formed as a result of the fact that Shakhmurad, who had come to the throne, refused to give up the title of Khan. The governor began to call himself the Emir, the governor of one of the parts of the Muslim state. In the Emirate of Bukhara, arts and crafts were developed: jewelry, painting a carving on wood and ganch, gold embroidery, calligraphy and miniature. Artists made out manuscripts, created ornaments in religious books.

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Landmark

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In Bukhara there was a craft school, which had a strong influence on the works of craftsmen in other cities and towns. 1912-1918 on the orders of the last Emir of Bukhara, Mir Sayid Alimkhan, the summer residence of Sitorai Mohi-Khosa was built, which in Tajik means “Star resembling the Moon”. Emir decided to create semiEuropesemi-Asian style. The best Bukhara masters of that time took part in the construction, as well as two Russian engineers. The main beauty of the residence is fantastic – interiors are bright and extraordinary.

• Chopar Pizza Andijan • Chopar Pizza Karshi • Chopar Family Tashkent: - C-1, Yahyo Gulyamov str, 38 (British Embassy); - Buyuk Ipak Yuli underground station (in front of Makro)

• Chopar Pizza Tashkent: - Samarqand Darvoza mall; - Compass mall; - Parus mall; - Makro supermarket (Sergeli branch); - C-1, Uzbekiston Ovoza str, 49 (EcoPark).

+998 71 205 1111 www.choparpizza.uz

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Locations:

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history of Islam

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CRADLE OF THE QUR’AN OSMAN The rarest monument of Islamic culture and history rests in the city of Tashkent in Mui Muborak Madrasa. This is the famous Qur’an Osman that sprinkled with his blood, which remains the same canon of Islam for 14 centuries.

From the history of the book In 610, the Qur’an began its earthly life. In the holy month of Ramadan, Allah began to transmit an everlasting book to the earth, he lowered it to the seventh heaven, closest to Earth, and the resident of Mecca, Muhammad became the chosen messiah. More than 20 years before his death, he received divine messages. With the piety of a believer, he did not dare to add or remove a single word from the sacred messages containing the provisions of faith.

Living a simple and honest life, the Prophet Muhammad considered the Qur’an to be a real miracle and gave it to people after 3 years of the proclamation of Islam, calling for every word to be kept.

At first, the holy book was not made by hands and passed orally. There was no need for writing, because the prophet could always be asked for clarifications on a given situation.

Some people recorded passages of sermons, but no one kept a complete structured record. After the death of the prophet, the Muslim community was concerned about the preservation of the true divine word. In order to avoid disagreements and misconceptions during the times of the righteous caliphs, it was decided to write down a single divine book.

In 650, the third Khalif Osman, who was married alternately to the two daughters of the Prophet, entrusted his adopted son, the former private secretary of Muhammad, scribe Zeid ibn Sabit and assistants to collect all the sermon records. They interviewed people and eyewitnesses and the disciples and

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associates of the prophet. After a complete collection of texts, a great deal of selection and comparison was carried out in one text. In 656, records were canonized and unified (all the collected records were burned). From the authentic Qur’an 5 samples were made and they were sent to the holy cities of Mecca, Damascus, Medina, Basra and Kufa.

The original book caliph Osman left for himself. And when the rebels broke into him and killed, he was reading the holy book, where stains of blood of the Caliph left on its pages.

So the Qur’an Osman appeared. The original source of the holy book in Arabic is carrying the pure word of God and the provisions of faith.

Cradle shrine Now the holy manuscript book can be seen in the museums of the Qur’an, which is located in the city of Tashkent in the complex of Khazrati Imam. It also contains more than 20 thousand manuscripts and lithographs, a huge number of books, as well as translations of the Qur’an into dozens of languages. And the Qur’an Osman itself is stored in a special glass sarcophagus, which maintains optimum humidity and temperature to preserve historical value.

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The complex of Khazrati Imam and Mui Muborak madrasah are place of pilgrimage for Muslims all over the world.

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Nature

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Falconry

is not simply the art of hunting game Uzbekistan is rightly considered as the centre for falconry in Central Asia. Traditions dating far back into past centuries have been carefully guarded and cultivated as a way of preserving nature and biodiversity

S

ince ancient times, using hunting birds has been a part of the traditional culture of the Uzbek people. Falconry in Uzbekistan has a long history and a wealth of traditions, proved by numerous historical sources.

The talented commandor, Amir Temur, encouraged his warriors to hunt with birds of prey. Even he would participate in the hunt on his rare days of recreation, as he had his own exceptionally trained golden eagle. The Emirs’ favourite leisure and passion

while falcon hunting is beautifully depicted in the artistic miniatures to the poems of Alisher Navoiy: “The Turmoil of the Righteous”, “Farhad and Shirin”, “Leila and Majnun”, “The Seven Planets”, “Iskandar’s Wall”. The Falconry was an integral part of the daily lives of royalty during the time of Babur.

The falconry is featured repeatedly in Babur’s memoirs “Baburnama” (The Notes of Babur). He writes the following: Regarding the Sultan Ahmed Mirzo: “He was a lover of falconry; he set loose many birds, and he did this

well. After Mirzo Ulugbek, there was not a second falcon prince”; Regarding Dervish Muhammed Tarkhan: “… He knew perfectly the habits of birds of prey, and set loose falcons with great ease.” Regarding Baku Tarkhan: “… he had a great propensity for falconry, it is said that he owned 700 hunting birds.”

Regarding Hadji Mulla Sadra: “He knew both how to raise hunting birds and how to make it rain.” In almost each of Babur’s memories, in some way or another, there is a reference to falconry and to how the described person relates

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to hunting birds. This suggests that falconry was an integral part of the daily lives of royalty during the time of Babur.

In addition, Babur writes about himself: “On that day I lost a fine falcon, whom Sheikh Mir Shikar had raised. He would catch cranes and storks with ease and even escaped two-three times. This falcon would catch birds so skillfully, that he would even turn a man indifferent to falconry, such as myself, into a falconer”; “Indeed, few places will be found where it is so pleasant that one can walk in spring, set loose falcons and catch birds…“; “While we were at the winter camp, I would go out on the hunt two to three times a day… we would hunt for bugu-marals or… we would set up a perimeter and let loose the falcons on pheasants. The pheasants there were infinite in number”. The final statement

indicates that, at times, falconry served as a basis for feeding men at war during long-lasting military campaigns and winter encampments. Furthermore, in ancient times, birds of prey were not only hunters and companions of noblemen, but were also used in the realm of state diplomacy as a precious gift and a sign of favour.

Falconry and the breeding of hunting birds has remained a unique tradition, which passes from generation to generation to this day. Today in Uzbekistan, special attention is devoted to safeguarding biodiversity, to the protection and increase of the hunting bird population. The State Committee for the Protection of Nature renders great support to this effort. Another interesting fact about the traditions of falconry in Uzbekistan is contained in

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Nature

the travel notes of French geographer, Gabriel Bonvalo, at the begining of the 19th century: “Rolling in greenery, like many other cities in Central Asia, Sherbabad consisted of a suburb, a market and a fortress, where the ruler of the city (the Bek) resided. The travelers’ accomodation, provided by Bek, appointed to travellers, was not distinguished with large comforts, but it was chill and quiet in the room, and one could settle down to rest

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with pleasure. Bek’s son organised an unusual pastime in honour of Bonvalo and Kapyu - falconry. It took place on the suburbs of the city, in ponds populated with waterfowl. Early in the morning, the travellers set off on horseback, accompanied by a falconer.

Strapped to his horse’s saddle was a small hunting drum, and on his arm, donned with a glove, sat a falcon, whose head was covered by a small leather cowl. First, the falconer frightened

the birds away with the sounds of the drum, then he brusquely tore off the falcon’s cowl and launched it into the air. Due to the abundance of birds, the falcon would effortlessly find and kill its victim with a strike of its powerful beak. The master would return it to its place, and the entire process would then start over. This was a picturesque spectacle, which the French people had never seen.” Breeding the falcons in an aviary guarantees the renewal and replenishment of their natural population and reintroduction into nature - a new, progressive and active form of conserving nature. Breeding the birds in artificially created conditions is not only a reliable way of preserving the gene pool but also serves as a base for scientific research and creating reserve birds, which can then be used for falconry and other applied aims, without damaging the natural population. Any matters concerning the breeding of hunting birds in aviaries are strictly regulated by the existing legislation. Falconry is not simply the art of hunting game in their natural environment but an interaction with live nature. The possibility of direct contact with hunting bird and observing its spectacular flight is breathtaking experience. This dramatic and captivating act attracts the attention of this marvel’s true connoisseurs.

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Gallery

Jewelry U

zbek Jewelry also has a long-standing tradition. For centuries, masters known as zargars have been creating their own unique, impressive jewelry pieces.

Secrets of the trade are passed down from generation to generation, from grandfather to father and from father to son. With a combination of modern technology and ancient national patterns, the works of jewelers are the modern day result of this heritage. The bijoux made by the hands of jewelers impress us not only by their beauty, but by their diversity which includes bracelets, rings, earrings, necklaces, headwear and waistbands. According to an old tradition, an Uzbek girl in infancy is given a small bracelet and a pair of earrings as a present from her grandmother. Since that time, and for the rest of her life, until the end of her days, the ‘girl’ is connected by that jewelry. From ancient times jewelry was worn not only for decoration, it was also accepted as a talisman which would save the person who had been wearing it from ailments, the evil eye and even death. These objects are thought to bring happiness and luck to their owners and protect them from bad luck. Thus, silver; protects from evil spirits, venom and symbolized purity, pearl; heals serious diseases, turquoise; for good luck in business, and last but not least, cornelian; the forbearer of happiness and health. Since those by-gone-days, silver has been a favourite material for jewelry.

Used to make decorations for women, silver was also used to manufacture arms and expensive clothing. In many cases silver was further enhanced by all kinds of precious stones. Usually Uzbekistan jewelers don’t cut precious stones; instead they polish them into rounded shapes. Bukhara was considered to be one of the main centres for this kind of art. The importance of the Bukhara school is underlined by historical chronicles and architectural monuments of the 16th century. The Taki-Zargaron jewelers’ dome was built as a trade and artisan centre of the city, with workshops and jewelers situated underneath.

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Being engaged in jewelry for many years, Lola Amilova realized that each woman has her own extraordinary, individual appearance, her own unique inner world, and besides this, each of them has her favorite forms, favorite colors, preferred stones and all that master wants is to embody decorations designed for them.

Jeweler Lola Amilova

“Every time, when creating a sketch of jewelry, you realize how responsible and exciting it is: will the audience like it? After all, I carefully select the ornament of the future product for each person individually, considering the symbol of all the details so that each element in the work brings people goodness, success and luck, love and abundance. And at the same time, you understand what a miracle it is to see how the drawing comes to life, because each piece of jewelry, like each of us, has its own character ... And this character is already visible in the sketches. And the hands of the masters give life to these decorations.� Each stone in the decoration requires harmony with a certain color of the metal, with a certain shape of the frame, and, of course, a special artistic solution. And all this as a result leads to the birth of a completely new and unusually beautiful decoration in jewelry art�.

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Jeweler Faskhitdin Dadamukhamedov

The dynasty of Dadamukhamedovs’ jewelers is known to many people in Uzbekistan. For several decades, they have passed the experience and traditions of craftsmanship from generation to generation.

Faskhitdin Dadamukhamedov continues the work of his father and grandfather with dignity.

Faskhitdin is art critic by education. He is well aware of the history of jewelry and therefore it is not by chance that he adheres to the traditional direction in his work. In pieces, created by the hands of the master, you can see the features of various jewelry schools in Uzbekistan. Thus, the set of “Tanga Zhevak” is made in the spirit of the steppe art - different-sized coins are interconnected by a chain into a single necklace; The inscription “Muhammad” is minted on the coins.

For the master, this chain symbolizes the connection of history with modernity.

In his work Dadamukhamedov relies on folk traditions. As a researcher at the State Institute of Arts of Uzbekistan and head of the funds of the Museum of Applied Art of Uzbekistan, he was able to study in detail the traditions of various jewelry

schools of our country. The specimens seen also in the ethnography department of the peoples of the East in the Hermitage Museum of St. Petersburg, in the London Museum and in the Metropolitan Museum in New York inspire Faskhitdin Dadamukhamedov to create new creations.

“While working on each jewelry, I try to pay a lot of attention to form, color, tradition and, of course, artistry,” - says the jeweler .

In his opinion, jewelry, like all works of art, should excite the soul both of the author and the viewer.

Today, due to the masters from dynasties, unique jewelry traditions of Uzbekistan that are important for world culture are being revived and preserved.

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Jeweler Anel Ulumbekova The process of jewelry creation is something special for me: at times I feel myself entering a different, parallel world. When I get down to work I plunge into my thoughts and fantasies.

«My interest in jewelry manifested itself early in my childhood due to my father’s job. He worked in the capacity of an artist at a jewelers and I was raised in an aura of artistic creation. When it came to the time to make a career choice, I of course chose the profession of an artist. I just couldn’t imagine myself in any other field. When I graduated from art school, I started working as a jeweler in 1994 and I’m happy to have been involved in this career up to the present day.

In contrast to high art, applied art has a utilitarian purpose. It gives me the opportunity to apply art as an article of interior, clothing or jewelry. Each item of this sort has its own history and energy. It seems to me that these are enchanting articles and as such are sought after by many people. Subsequently every trip abroad for me is a chance to find something unusual and unique.

It goes without saying that not all works of folk masters are of interest to me. Instead, I like to focus on particular items using ceramics, glass and textile. These are the things which find their way into in my own ‘interior’ because they harmonise with the specific atmosphere to be found there.

Jewelry should always connect with the image and the mood of a person.

I think it’s wrong to always wear the same sort of jewelry ignoring the season, the time of day and place where one finds oneself».

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With jewelry made by him, Djaloliddin Tohtakhodjaev committed to convey the beauty of the world, which we sometimes do not notice in everyday life. Gold jewelry and precious stones are, above all, confidence. By purchasing expensive jewelry, a person gains self-confidence. Selfconfidence, in turn, helps us succeed.

Jeweler Djaloliddin Tohtakhodjaev

“Each of my products is individual,” says the master. This is a creative work of a group of people: artists, 3D-designers and craftsmen themselves. We produce high-quality products that reflect the characteristics of the character and personality of the future owner.

“I never specifically seek a source of inspiration. I am inspired by everything around me - nature, my family, stories from books I have read, or films I have seen, various life situations. ” For Djaloliddin Tohtakhodjaev, the main idea is to give joy to people.

“For me, there is no higher praise than to see the happy faces of my clients. Every day I strive for professional growth, because in order to get a job well, you should always try and not stop at what has been achieved.

Quoting Fyodor Dostoevsky, “there is no happiness in inaction”.

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Jeweler Alisher Khaydarov

Alisher Khaydarov is a hereditary master jeweler who continues the traditions of the Bukhara school of jewelry.

Since childhood, he was engaged in jewelry art, ganch carving, painting.

He learned the first skills of jewelry art from his grandfather Abdunosir Khaidarzade. Alisher Khaydarov revived the truly artistic traditions of the jewelry art of Bukhara of the 19th 20th centuries. He manufactures head, forehead, neck, breast jewelry. This is Suzani-Kubba, Baud-Oh, Zebi-Gardony, Dzhavaki, tumors, fish-shaped earrings, pendants in the form of birds, etc.

The master makes silver jewelry using precious and semiprecious stones: turquoise, pearl, coral, ruby.

The master owns various techniques of medieval jewelers: casting, forging, carving, engraving, chasing, enamel.

Most of his works are made in the traditional filigree mastic foil technique, which is a distinctive feature of Bukhara jewelers. He awarded with republican contest “Tashabbus - 2009” in the nomination “The best craftsman of the year.”

“I want to convey, through my products, the beauty and elegance of the ancient jewelry craft, which is always admired. Creating beautiful jewelry made of precious metals, I strive to transfer my skills from generation to generation.

I have always admired my city, its architectural monuments, ancient crafts, as well as beautiful women of ancient and forever young Bukhara.

For me it is important to continue the work of my ancestors harmoniously interweaving the traditions of ancient craftsmanship with elements of modernity, ”Alisher Khaydarov shares.

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“AMOUR- BONTECULTURE-BEAUTE” FROM BEGIM The Orient is famous for the art of creating incense and the philosophy of the fragrance of the human soul . In the times of the Great Silk Road, spices and flower oils were the main monetary unit.

All religious rituals and worships of the Divine were accompanied by fragrant trains, for it was always believed that “Scent is food for the enlightenment of the Soul” ... Many Muslim temples were built with the addition of saffron and musk to the whitewash, as a result the hot tin walls exuded an amazing scent.

Incense was used to awaken sensuality: women took baths with frankincense and myrrh, mint and pine, so that the skin would feed and exude a magical fragrance.

Folk omens and traditions of oriental countries are intertwined with the frankincense. It is believed that fumigating home with herbs warding off evil spirits.

The scent reaching for the sky connects the world of the human soul with the Creator of the universe ... The scents were used at all significant events, such as the birth of a child, a wedding, dedication to warriors, victory or defeat ...

It was in the East that the distillation cube was invented and the distillation technique was improved. Thanks to this ancient technique, the method of obtaining alcohol was rediscovered, without which modern perfumery cannot be imagined. Great Avicenna learned how to make rose water by distillation and successfully treated people.

The dynasties of Oriental perfumers continued to develop the art of making incense for centuries. From the East to Europe came the culture of perfumery, which we know today.

Cultural treasures continue in the fragrances of the Begim Treasure Collection, as the philosophy of filling the astral spirit of man with energy and strength leading to success.

Fragrances from the bowels of the sacred Earth - the light of the fire of male

energy and the transparency of the water of female wisdom.

The Uzbek company «Begim» produces its own brand of niche perfumes in France, for men and women, is Begim Perfumes Treasure Collection – «Bukhara Spirit», «Samarkand Spirit», «Ruby of Temur», «KohiNur Diamond», «Silk Road».

«Begim» took the first steps in 1990, with the aim of introducing the world famous luxury brand-manufacturers of high lines of perfumery and cosmetics to the Uzbek market.

«Begim» is an official partner of the French Embassy in Uzbekistan, actively participates in cultural inter-ethnic events.

Today, “Begim” is the only exclusive distributor of products of the world famous perfume and cosmetics brands in the market of Uzbekistan, represented in the network of stores “Parfum Gallery” (10 stores).

The Begim Perfumes brand, which in a short period became a bestseller in Paris, London, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and of course in Uzbekistan, gained particular popularity.

On January 10 2019, in the restaurant “Golubie Kupola” in Tashkent a presentation of the brand Begim Treasure Collection was held.

The event was attended by honored guests from France and Russia - representatives of famous glossy magazines such as: Harper’s Bazaar, CAFB Asia, Grazia and others.

The Begim Perfumes collection are suitable for lovers of luxurious fragrance and for those who appreciate the history of world culture.

Begim Perfumes is an incredible and memorable gift.

“ITS TIME TO FEEL ANTIQUITIES OF GREAT HISTORY AND CULTURE WITH BEGIM PERFUMES”

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Art

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Art gallery AUTOGRAPH: “Face to face with art”

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Art gallery AUTOGRAPH is an important art-point in the center of the city, where you can buy exclusive author’s works of art that delight visitors and residents of our capital, true connoisseurs of art.

The gallery opened its doors in June 2016 and thus confidently declared itself, not only as a gallery selling fine arts and applied arts, but also as a platform for discussions, presentations, press conferences, events and business meetings.

Often, fans of not only modern, but also traditional art, art critics, and artists meet here.

The three-storey exhibition space presents works by artists, sculptors, designers, fashion designers, masters of folk and applied arts of Uzbekistan. The gallery explores contemporary art, presenting both young and famous Uzbek artists. Here are miniatures showing the whole flavor of customs and traditions, ceramic products created in traditional and modern styles, exclusive silver jewelry with natural stones, wood products decorated with magnificent patterns, soft toys, made of adras, silk, batik - natural materials made manually.

A large assortment of works presented in the gallery will not leave any visitor indifferent.

You will certainly want to buy a bright piece from the rich collection of the AUTOGRAPH gallery!

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landmarks

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Saint Daniel’s Tomb, Samarkand

Secret Sacred PLACES OF UZBEKISTAN

Uzbekistan has many sacred places on its fertile land. One of such places is a Mausoleum of St. Daniel (Daniyar, Daniel) in Samarkand, which unites three world religions: Islam, Christianity and Judaism. The Mausoleum is known as one of the most revered and controversial pilgrimage destinations in the world.

The mosque and the grave of the Saint are based on the shore of the Siab River and dated back to Amir Temur reign. The Mausoleum was built only in 1900.

The grave reaches 18 meters in length. There are several versions that can explain this fact. The burial place was specially made so large that no one knew where exactly the relics of the Saint lay and could not plunder the shrine.

According to a legend, the relics were brought by Amir Temur from Susa, a small city in Iran. The commander refused to attack the city having learned about St. Daniel, Old Testament Jewish Prophet.

Taking the remains of the Saint’s tomb for Samarkand protection, Temur returned in the city and built a Mausoleum from the north side of Afrosiab.

At the footage of the mausoleum, you could see an old dried pistachio tree, which was replanted in 1996, after the visit of Russian Patriarch Alexy II. Going down the stairs to the head of the mausoleum, you can drink from the healing source and make a wish.

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Deggaroniy Mosque, Navoi An ancient mosque and a burial place of the theologian and educator of the 14th century Mavlono Orif Dеggaroniy is located near Hazara in Navoi region. According to the legend, during the spring flood the residents of the village ran out of their houses, shouting for help. Then Deggaroniy went to the river bank and said: “If you can, please leave our place. What do you gain by destroying the dwellings of these people?” Afterwards the stream of water suddenly stopped, and the glory of Deggaroniy spread throughout the world. It was said that Deggaroniy could heal people.

The work of the mentor of Khoja Bahauddin Naqshbandi was a great example of spiritual development and improvement. A true humanist brought the teaching of Sufism to a new level, enriching it with new philosophical ideas. He paid a great attention to moral education of the individual. He spent the last few years of his life in the modest Sufi monastery “khanqah”, which became a place of pilgrimage during his lifetime.

People from all over the world visit memorial complex named after Mavlono Orif Deggaroniy to pay tribute to the memory of the saint and personally see the miraculously

Holy spring Chashma, Nurota Navoi region has another miracle – the sacred complex “Chashma”, which is located in one of the religious centres of Islam – the city of Nurota.

According to the legend, 40 thousand years ago a meteorite, which emitted light, fell here. On the site of the fall, a crater formed and scored a miraculous spring with healing properties. Local residents considered this as God’s gift – the ray “nur”, which illuminated this region. Hence the name of the city of Nurota was born. Directly above the source is the round mosque Juma. In this building, there are exactly 40 columns and good acoustics, thanks to the large “hum” pitchers, which give a resonant effect. A dome about 16 meters in diameter is one of the largest and most beautiful in Central Asia. Here Sheikh Abul Hasan Nuriy had come to this from Arabic countries, who brought Islam to the inhabitants of the veld. In addition to the source and the Juma Mosque, the complex includes a bathhouse built by

preserved architectural monument. The architectural complex includes a “khanqah”, Mavlono Orif’s tomb, a chillyahona (place of worship), a museum, a well with holy water. The Deggaron mosque is a brick mosque with nine domes, towering over the veld, fascinates with its own identity. The inner prayer room has a cubic shape, and in the centre there are four columns, forming high white arches with geometric molding. The architectural building dates back to the 7th – 9th centuries.

Bukhara masters at the beginning of the 20th century, and the ancient Panjwakt mosque is the oldest building on the territory of the complex built in the 16th century. Thousands of pilgrims from all over the Muslim world come to pray in this holy place.

The water temperature is constant, and holds at around 19.5 degrees Celsius. Every day from early morning to almost 10 am the glow is observed in the source, possibly due to the presence of a multitude of trace elements, including gold, silver, iodine, bromine, phosphorus, etc. Thanks to the silver presence in the water, it does not deteriorate even during prolonged storage and is beneficial for the human body.

Travellers never pass by a source without drawing water.

Near the source there is a well “Besh Pandzhi” “five fingers” or “palm” about 6 m deep, which resembles a huge palm.

The walls of the well are laid with untreated stones, and in the crevices garmala grows, the branches of which are tied with ribbons, or scraps of cloth.

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landmarks

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Zangi Ota Mausoleum, Tashkent region One more place is associated with the name of the great commander, which belongs to the most significant works of regional architecture dated back to late 14th and 15th centuries. Amir Temur paid great attention to the development of his state, culture and enlightenment. Under his initiative, in 1390 Zangi Ota mausoleum was built in a settlement located 15 kilometers south-west of Tashkent.

Later, during the reign of his grandson Ulugbek, an ornamental peshtak, the central entrance, was built to the mausoleum. Nowadays it is an architectural and religious complex that unites, the shrine of the saint, a huge garden, a madrassa, a memorial mosque and a minaret.

Zangi Ota is the nickname of the holy Sheikh Ai-Khoja, the fifth Murid of the great Sufi, Khoja Ahmad Yassawi,

and the spiritual student of the famous poet-mystic Suleiman Khaki-ata Bakyrgani. For his skin colour, he was nicknamed Zangi Ota – “Dark Father”, and the real name of the saint is AikhodzhaIbn Tashkhodja ibn Mansur.

Zangi Ota was a shepherd and was known not only as a fine theologian, but also as an unsurpassed sage, highly respectable.

A hundred meters from the mausoleum of Zangi Ota is another cult place of the memorial complex – the mausoleum of Anbar-bibi, wife and associate of the famous Sufi. According to a legend, Zangi-ata bequeathed to the parishioners first to visit the tomb of his wife and only then to come to him himself. Anbar-bibi is considered as the patroness of women and children.

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Al-Māturīdī Mausoleum, Samarkand The mausoleum of the famous Islamic theologian, the expert of Fiqh and the interpreter of the Qur’an Abū Mansūr al-Māturīdī is located in the central part of Samarkand. He was buried in Chokardiza cemetery, where, according to the legend, more than 3,000 scholartheologians were buried. The mausoleum was built there and it was of deference among the townspeople. But in the 1930s of the 20th century the mausoleum was destroyed.

In 2000 in honor of 1225 anniversary of the scholar’s birth the architectural complex was newly constructed. The mausoleum of Abū Mansūr al-Māturīdī is in the center of the complex.

The square of the mausoleum is 12x12 meters. Its high reaches 17,5 meters. The dome is made of two lays. The outside lay is decorated with blue majolica. The barrel is faced with 24 arches and window grids, named pandjara.

The tomb is made of white marble. And here on the tomb you can read the sayings of al-Māturīdī.

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Gastronomy

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Shashlik

- King of Uzbek Cuisine

A good kebab is delicate, like the Orient itself. Juicy pieces of meat, reddened on the coals, by their very appearance cause an attack of hunger even if a person is full.

Photo by Andrey Arakelyan for 365 Days of Sun luxury book.

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It would seem that it’s not so difficult to prepare a tasty shashlik?

In Uzbekistan, people love shashlik gently and faithfully.

This nourishing dish surprises overseas guests. It is usually prepared at friendly gatherings, put at the head of the table on holidays. However, even in a small roadside cafe away from the tourist trails you will be offered a dozen types of meat, vegetable, and mushroom kebabs.

Marinate, put on scewers, roast, serve. In fact, the taste of the finished dish depends on hundreds of conditions. Which meat is better to choose for a dish? In which direction to cut it? What to marinate and how to maintain in a marinade? How to extinguish the tongues of flame bursting from the coals? Sometimes there are more questions than answers.

For the classic lumpy shashlik, the rear part of the mutton thigh is ideal. The craftsmen are experimenting with marinades, adding either sour milk, red wine, or even exotic kiwi. Marinade from pomegranate juice will give

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one bouquet, and mineral water with onions and spices will reveal the aroma of meat in a completely different way. But there is nothing simpler and tastier than juicy chopped and sautéed onions with coarse salt, spicy jam, coriander seeds and hot black pepper.

Elastic cubes of meat, slightly softened from the marinade and soaked up in the fragrance of spices, are placed on a skewer, alternating with flat squares of snow-white tail fat. The coals of the vine, apricot or cherry logs, covered with ash, give off heat to the meat, quickly grabbing it outside. The middle remains juicy and soft. Transparent drops of fat, mixing with the smoke from the coals, spread the draft smell far around.

Each region has its own formula.

Not just in region, even in each city - its own branded “highlights”.

Any gourmet head spins around from one name. The famous all over the country ground “Gijduvon Kabob”. “Urama Kabob” from meat rolled up with spice. “Zhigar Kabob”, a tender and healthy liver skewers. “Epma Kabob” cooked in tandoor. Puff kebab “katlama kabob”. “Uch Punja Kabob”, skewers, strung together on three skewers. “Charvi zhigar kabob”, from liver wrapped in lard.

“Their Kabob Buglama”, steam barbecue. And dozens of recipes for kebabs (shashlik) from chicken, fish, beef and lamb meat, with mushrooms, vegetables, cheese.

Even the most demanding gourmets will find their preferred shashlik in the hospitable and varied Uzbek cuisine. And even after many years, a smaell of smoke from burning wood, smell of roasted meat and vegetables will remind of a distant hot-hearted country called Uzbekistan.

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My Perfect Day

VISIT UZBEKISTAN

Dr. Lina Al-Gharaibeh Deputy Chief Mission and Counsel at the Embassy of The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to Uzbekistan

Astonished and overuvhelmed by the civilization and history of Uzbekistan, the kindness and good hearted Uzbek people

I

start my day early, I wake up at 6 in the morning enjoying a quick exercise in the greeny parks in Tashkent for one hour, then I get ready to my work, after finishing my work, I try to visit many places in Tashkent, especially the museums and to discover the history of this great country.

Tashkent city is a cosmopolitan city, its rich in everything, whatever you like you can find in Tashkent, so the food is not

a problem at all because of the variety of choices, indeed there are a lot of places i visited many restaurants and cafes, and they were all worthy to visit, whether its Uzbek, Turkish, ltalian, Russian cuisine.

As we know, Uzbekistan is a country, rich in historical sightseeing sites and many places worthy to visit. I went twice to Samarkand city, and I had an honor to attend ‘Shark Music Festival’ which was held at the historical site Registan.

Every single day in Uzbekistan presents a unique chance to live happily and to meet a distinguished Uzbek people. Moreover, the pace of growth of the city is fabulous, it’s an ongoing process with a great success. Despite all the improvements and developments, the country is still blending the great history and modernization, which is remarkable.