A significant part of Uzbekistan is occupied by almost lifeless mountains, deserts and steppes. However, this Central Asian country has a rich history and is a treasury in which many monuments of world significance that survived millennia and centuries have survived. The ancient cities of Uzbekistan have a special attraction for tourists, where you can experience cultural delight by visiting the authentic Eastern market and bargaining with friendly sellers, tasting a real Uzbek pilaf or shurpa, plunging into the atmosphere of the Islamic Middle Ages.
Tashkent
The capital of Uzbekistan is the largest city in Central Asia; almost two and a half million people live in it. Tashkent is a fusion of times and traditions. After all, it is not only a modern metropolis, but also one of the oldest cities in Uzbekistan. In 2019, they will celebrate its 2210th anniversary. It will take several days to examine Tashkent in detail. Although this may not be enough to fully experience the charm of the capital of Uzbekistan. The Old City of Tashkent is a historical district, which, as a rule, causes the greatest interest of travelers.
The main Tashkent attractions include: the architectural ensemble of Hazreti Imam; Modern Minor Mosque; Sheikhantaur complex; the central square of the capital - Independence Square, decorated with fountains, grandiose buildings and monuments; the old Namazgoh Mosque and the brand new but very beautiful Jami Mosque; two medieval madrassas of Kukeldash and Barakhan; exotic for Central Asia, the Catholic Cathedral of the Heart of Jesus and the Orthodox Church of Nevsky. You should definitely visit the famous Chorsu Dome Bazaar and its unforgettable shopping arcades.
Samarkand
Perhaps the most famous ancient city of Uzbekistan. Samarkand more than 27 centuries, it is the same age as ancient Rome and the brilliant ancient Athens. This city was the capital of Ancient Sogda and was located in the middle of the Silk Road. Samarkand was the center of the vast empire of Tamerlane. The great Khromets wanted to make his capital the most beautiful city in the world and brought here the best architects and scientists from all the lands he conquered.
The main city attractions: the magnificent Regostan Square, on which there are several famous madrassas; the largest Central Asian mosque Bibi Khanum; the grand mausoleum of Amir Temur; Shahi Zenda - an ensemble of tombs of noble citizens; Siab market; Mirzo Ulugbek Observatory; Khoja-Akhrar ensemble.
Bukhara
The history of Bukhara has approximately 2500 years, which makes it one of the most ancient cities of Uzbekistan. Bukhara owes much to its development and the abundance of cultural monuments to the location. She, like Samarkand, was an important shopping center on the Silk Road, through which hundreds of caravans passed. The heart of the city and its main attraction is Ark Fortress, surrounded by massive walls. This ancient citadel was built at the end of the 10th century and is a safe home for the emirs, his retinue, troops and artisans.
In addition, tourists come to Bukhara to see the ancient city walls; Sitorai Mokhi Khosa Palace; the mausoleum of the Samanids and the mausoleum of Naqshband; Chor-Bakr necropolis; Bukhara trading domes; Zindan of Bukhara; Lyabi-house square; Bolo House ensemble; The architectural complex Poi-Kalyan, which includes several mosques, a madrasah and the central city square - Registan.
Khiva
The delightful Khiva - the center and capital of the mighty Khorezm, and later the Khiva kingdom, is another ancient city of Uzbekistan, its age exceeds 25 centuries. Khiva is very convenient for tourists to visit, because its main attractions are compactly located in Ichan-Kala, which from Uzbek translates as Inner City, which belongs to the world cultural heritage and is included in the UNESCO list.
In this historic district surrounded by mighty walls, there are palaces of emirs and nobles, their mausoleums, elegant mosques, madrassas, baths, caravanserais. The symbol of Khiva is Kalta-Minar (a short minaret) - it is striking in the imagination with the beauty of the patterns and the play of color of an unusual shape of the minaret. It resembles a truncated cone with a height of 29 meters and a diameter of the base of almost 15 meters. By order of the ruling khan, a 70-meter minaret began to be built in the middle of the 19th century, but the khan died and the construction stopped. Now almost every traveler considers it his duty to take pictures against the backdrop of the intricate Kalta-Minar.
Shakhrisabz
Shakhrisabz is an ancient city of Uzbekistan, the name of which is not well-known and almost unfamiliar to tourists. The age of this small town is approximately 2700 years, but the fact that the Great Tamerlan was born here gives it important historical significance. In Shakhrisabz, he took the first steps towards unlimited power over a colossal empire. The city is located 80 kilometers south of Samarkand, it can be quickly reached by bus or taxi and inspected in one day.
Most attractions are located in the historic center, along a rather long street. The most interesting tourist sites of Shakhrisabz include: a monument to Amir Timur; Kok Mosque - Gumbaz; the tomb of the father and sons of Tamerlane; the ruins of Tamerlane's suburban palace are Aksaray, which impressed the emperor’s subjects with enormous size, colored tiles of facades, luxurious interiors and a swimming pool on the roof of the residence, amazing for those times.
Kokand
Located in eastern Uzbekistan, the ancient city of Kokand survived its golden age in the XVIII century, when it became the religious center and capital of the Kokand kingdom: at dawn, there were up to three hundred mosques. However, people lived at this place for a very long time. Archaeologists have found the remains of a fortified wall dated to the first century AD, and in the deeper layers of the earth a whole collection of pottery made in the first or second centuries BC was discovered.
Kokand is divided by the Sai River into two districts: New Town and Old Town. In the New City, tourists can see architectural monuments of the 19th century: the task of the East Asian Bank and the house of the local governor Vadyaev. In the Old Town there are attractions that have become the legacy of the Kokand kingdom. This is the palace of Khudoyarkhan, the Jami mosque, the Norbutabi and Kamol Kazi madrasahs, the Modari Khan mausoleum.