Each place where a person lives has its own history and attractions. Ferghana is not a typical Uzbek city. It was built during the Russian Empire as a fortress, where the garrison was located. Wide streets fan-shaped in all directions from it. A few historical sights are associated with this period.
City Formation
Fergana was originally intended as a military administrative center on the territory of the former Kokand kingdom. His layout is fully consistent with this. It was developed by military topographers, engineers. The streets diverging radially in all directions from the fortress were wide. Its center was a military fortress with a Russian garrison. The selected area was located 9 kilometers from the ancient city of Margilan, whose age totaled more than 2 thousand years. He, according to historians, was founded by the Gilan from Persia, who brought here sericulture.
In 1876, General M.D. Skobelev was appointed military governor. The city is called New Margilan. A big disadvantage of the choice of terrain was the presence in the north-eastern and northern parts of the swamps. They could not be drained for a long time, so many residents suffered from malaria. Subsequently, this problem was resolved.
The city developed slowly. This was based on the transport issue and remoteness from Russia. The branch of the railway passed through Old Margilan, the station of which was called “Gorchakovo”. This was subsequently corrected. A railway line was stretched from Gorchakovo.
In 1907, the city received the name Skobelevo in honor of the first Governor General, which he wore until the 30s of the last century. Not only specialists from Russia came here, the local population settled around it. By the beginning of the 20th century, one third of the inhabitants were local nationalities working in enterprises or trading in the local market.
Ferghana sights of this time
In 1879, the building of the Officers' Assembly was built, renamed in the Soviet era into the House of Officers. In 1891, the Governor’s House was built; today it houses the city drama theater. In 1887, the city garden (park) was laid, which has been preserved to this day. In 1903, the newly built Gymnasium (the administrative building of FerSU), the Orthodox Church and Jome Masjid (cathedral mosque) were opened.
These few preserved buildings, as well as the old houses in which the military, specialists, engineers, teachers, doctors, workers, arriving in the city, created a unique atmosphere. Its decoration, protection from the scorching rays of the sun were huge plane trees (plane trees), which became a landmark of Ferghana, its visiting card, as well as a large number of roses. Numerous irrigation ditches were laid through the streets, carrying moisture to the trees and cool the inhabitants of the city.
Soviet period
In the postwar period, the city began to develop rapidly. Large factories and factories were built. Specialists came here from the European part of the Soviet Union. A reinforced concrete plant is being built in the city, the construction of the so-called "Khrushchev" begins. This provided housing for many people, but it damaged the identity of the city.
The old part of Ferghana remained untouched. Although there were no special frills in it, but it was she who created a special originality, which was not in other cities. A cozy shady park, founded in the 19th century on the banks of the small and wayward little river “Margilan-sai”, was a favorite vacation spot for citizens. Almost the entire indigenous population was illiterate. Schools opened throughout the region. To meet the need for teachers in 1930, a pedagogical institute was established. A drama theater appeared, cinemas, and palaces of culture opened.
In Soviet times, the role of the city was predetermined - to become the industrial center of the republic. This was facilitated by the fact that mainly the European population lived here. Indigenous people are mostly farmers. The factories and plants, the largest in Uzbekistan, were built. Ferghana has become the center of sericulture and the chemical industry. An airport was built. The infrastructure of the city was developing. The central water supply system, sewer systems, hospitals, kindergartens, sports facilities were built. New bus routes opened, trolleybuses began to walk around the city.
Shahimardan
Drowning in the greenery and flowers of Fergana, in the vicinity of which are the cities of Margilan - the center of sericulture, Kokand, Kuva, with preserved monuments of the history of Uzbekistan, in Soviet times became a part of the tourist route through the cities of Uzbekistan. People came here from all over the Union and from abroad. Not far from the city, among the mountains of the Alai Range, another attraction of Ferghana is located - the village of Shakhimardan - a favorite resting place for citizens located at an altitude of 1.5 thousand meters above sea level.
It is believed that it was formed by the fourth caliph Hazrat Ali, the son-in-law of the prophet Muhammad. This is evidenced by the name of the village, which translates as "lord of the people." Here is one of his seven graves. Most likely, this is a legend, since there is no historical evidence for this. But the places here are really beautiful. In Soviet times, there was a mausoleum of the Uzbek writer and enlightener Khamza-Hakim-Zade, who was killed by the Basmachi.
Kokand
The city is rich in historical monuments, the main of which is the Khudoyar Khan Palace, built in 1871 after the accession of the Kokand Khanate to Russia. It consists of 7 courtyards surrounded by buildings. The best craftsmen from all over the Ferghana Valley participated in its construction. It is decorated with magnificent ceramic tiles made by craftsmen from Rishtan.
Currently, there is a museum of local lore. In addition, in the city you can visit other attractions that have survived to this day. This is the tomb of Dahma-i-Shahan, the mosque of Jami, the madrassah of Narbut-Biya. Many buildings in the city survived from the era of the Russian Empire.
Currently, most of the Europeans left Ferghana. Industrial enterprises have closed. Once a culturally and industrially developed city today has become a province. But it is still attractive, because the most hospitable and welcoming people in the world live here.