Cities & Areas

Tashkent

Tashkent the capital of Uzbekistan, is one of the most ancient cities in the world and the largest in Central Asia, with a population of more than two million. The city dates back to the 1st century BC. The word "Tashkent" means "the Stone Settlement". Over the centuries, Tashkent changed its name several times: Shash, Chach, Chachkent, Binkent. It has been known under its present name from the 11th century. Nowadays Tashkent is a major scientific and cultural centre in Uzbekistan and in Central Asia. The Academy of Sciences, many institutes, universities, museums and theatres are located here. There are such unique architectural monuments as Kukeldash and Barakhana Madrassahs (16c.). Today Tashkent is directly linked to New York, London, Manchester, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Karachi, Delhi, Beijing, Seoul, Sharjah, Bangkok, Kuala-Lumpur, Moscow, Kiev, etc. with international airlines. Read more

Samarkand

Samarkand is the second largest city of Uzbekistan and is the same age as Rome, Athens and Babylon - more than 2500 years old. Ancient Arab manuscripts refer to it as "Pearl of the East". The well-known unique architectural monuments of Samarkand have the same value as the masterpieces of India, Egypt and Italy. One of them is Gur-Emir, the Mausoleum of the Temurids, crowned with a large tiled cupola. The bodies of Temur and of his grandson Ulugbek - a prominent scientist and astronomer - are placed here. Among other places of interest there are: Shakhi-Zinda ensemble, which is unique in its decoration; the Registan - the central square of ancient Samarkand, which is surrounded with Ulugbek, Shir-Dor and Tillya-Kari Madrassahs. A part of the giant sextant in the Ulugbek observatory has been preserved until now and astronomical tables created by Ulugbek are still in use all over the world. It is well worth the effort to cover thousands of kilometres to see the blue cupolas of ancient Samarkand. Read more

Bukhara

Bukhara is located at the crossroads of ancient trade routes and formerly it was a large commercial centre on the Great Silk Road, with a lot of bazaars. Nowadays Bukhara is a unique museum-city: there are more than 140 architectural monuments located here. The earliest of them date back to the 9th century - the Mausoleum of the Samanids. The 50-metre high tower of the Kalyan Minaret looks over the city in all its splendour and no one will be indifferent to Ulugbek and Chor-Minor Madrassahs. "Old Bukhara-city" is the only place in Central Asia where you can find all colours of the East and touch the mysterious soul of Bukhara. Read more

Khiva

Khiva is a city from a fairy-tale. The capital of Khiva-Khanate dates back to the 17th century and still has the exotic flavour of a medieval Oriental town in the old part of the city - Ichan-Kala, where all architectural monuments are located. Kunya-Ark Citadel, Tash-Khauli Palace, and fortified hill - Akshish-bobo, which is the best place to see the whole city, are among them.

Today Khiva is a city-museum. There are no high buildings and wide streets here. It is very hard to enumerate all the historical sites in Khiva. There are palaces decorated with colourful mosaics, air-brick houses and many madrassahs, minarets and mosques, such as the high and beautiful Islam-Hodzha Minaret. Read more

Shakhrisabz

Shakhrisabz is another famous city, which dates back to the golden Tamerlane age. This is the motherland of Amir Temur and the cradle of the Temurid dynasty. By the order of Temur, the town was surrounded with high walls, the town gates were equipped with drawbridges and the grand Ak-Sarai Palace was built in the northern part of the town. Dorus-Siadat Mausoleum was erected in the south-eastern part of the town. Gumbazi Seyyidan Mausoleum and Kok-Gumbaz mosque were built during the reign of Ulugbek. Read more

Termez

There is Surkhandarya district the southern part of Uzbekistan. The state border with Afghanistan goes there along the Amudarya River. Amudarya Valley extends in the south part of the district. Hisar Range foothills tower over the valley in the north of the district. A capital city of Surkhandarya district is Termez. Read more

Ferghana Valley

Ferghana valley is one of the most wonderful places in the Republic of Uzbekistan. It delight all visitors with its unique nature and rich historical and religious traditions. Read more