Cultural sightseeing in Uzbekistan. What to visit - museums, temples, castles and palaces

Uzbekistan is a country located on the ancient eastern territory. The long history of this land was embodied in the richest cultural heritage of the country and is represented by almost untouched fortresses, squares, ruins of fortifications and other architectural monuments. Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and other Uzbek cities are a real open-air museum full of historical decor. Time has made its changes in the external appearance of the creations of ancient architects, but they continue to delight tourists even today.

A thousand-year-old monuments of Zoroastrianism, Masterpieces of medieval architecture, Majestic Palace architecture of the late 19th century and Eclectic Modern Facilities are united in Tashkent’s variety. The central landmark of the city is the Independence Square with its marble colonnades, granite Monument of Independence and Humanism, the classic building of the Uzbek Senate, and the Alley of Glory and Memory with galleries decorated with traditional “Punjara” bars. According to legend, there is the golden hair of the prophet Mohammed within the walls of the Khazret Imam ensemble with its Tilla-sheikh mosque. The building of the mosque is decorated with patterned lattices from ganch. The ensemble also harbors the massive mausoleum of Abubakr Kaffal al-Shashi, built in the style of “hanaka”. The asymmetric quadrangular building that is crowned with a dome looks like it wants to reach the sky.

The main attraction of Samarkand is the Majestic Registan Square. The Great Conqueror Tamerlane rests in the tomb of Gur-e Amir, some elements of which are made of jade. You can see a magnificent view of the city from the elevation of the Hazrat-Khizry mosque. The Shah-i-Zinda Ensemble, Ulugbeg Observatory attracts tourists. One of the most famous Uzbek cities is Bukhara, through which the Great Silk Road lay in ancient times. Bukhara is a world religious center. There are over three hundred mosques and eighty “madrasas” (Muslim theological seminaries) here. Among the magnificent architectural complexes, you can make out the famous Kalyan minaret and the ancient fortress structure named Arch, sweating-rooms of the Middle Ages, working to this day, trading domes. In Andijan, it is worth visiting the Regional Museum of Literature and Art. Founded in the late 80’s of the 20th century, today the museum contains an interesting collection of paintings, literary works, sculptures, and objects of folk handicraft creativity. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

In Khiva, you will find the ancient citadel of Ichan-Kala (“inner city”) which has been preserved. You can spend the whole day walking on a cobblestone pavement. Here you can admire the elegant carved patterns adorning the surface of the wooden columns of the Juma Mosque. You can also go to the center of the citadel – the Kunya-Ark fortress which has a place for viewing the surrounding area. A walk on the steps of a narrow winding staircase takes you to the tower of the Islam Khodja minaret where you can enjoy the stunning views of the ancient city and the desert landscapes of Kyzyl-Kum. The City of Shakhrisabz is famous for its snow-white Ak-Saray Palace, the Kok-Gumbaz Mosque under the azure domes, and the monumental architectural complexes Dorus-Saodat and Dorut-Tillyavat. Once upon a time, all these facilities were erected in order to make the hometown of Amir Timur the second Capital of the State, not inferior to Samarkand.

Southern Termez has monuments of different historical periods: the ancient Buddhist buildings of the Kushan times, the Kirk-Kiz Fortress (now a museum of medieval architecture), the majestic Sultan-Saodat Ensemble. In the city of Margilan, located in the middle of the Ferghana Valley, the attention of tourists is captured by the Pir-Siddiq complex with its pigeons. Also famous is the Khodja Maggiz Mausoleum, the acting “madrasa” in the Khanate of Kokand. One of the most significant cities in the valley is Kokand, the former capital of a huge khanate. The architectural heritage of Kokand consists of luxurious Khans’ Palaces, Grandiose Mosques and Magnificent Tombs of ancient rulers. Many of the ancient buildings are in ruins, but they still represent the former grandeur and wealth of the city even in their current state.