Worldwide 2024-25

CENTRAL ASIA • UZBEKISTAN
Discover Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan is home to a fascinating blend
of arid desert, open steppe, lush oases
and fertile river valleys. It is, however, the
ancient history and culture that makes this
the most alluring destination in Central Asia.
Set on the ancient Silk Road, for centuries
Uzbekistan was besieged by waves of traders,
nomads and conquerors. The architectural
legacy that remains is awe-inspiring. Visit
intricately decorated mosques, madrasas
and mausoleums, as well as immense palaces
and fortresses in Samarkand, Bukhara and
Khiva – once some of the most powerful
cities in the world. In the capital, Tashkent,
the more recent remnants of Soviet rule are
equally fascinating.
Samarkand
Magnificent architecture of Registan Square •
Ulugbek observatory
Samarkand is one of the world’s oldest cities
and has seen periods of power and decline
throughout its 2,700-year history. It was
destroyed by Alexander the Great, the Arabs,
Genghis Khan and many other conquerors, but
rose again each time. In the 14th century, when
Timur made Samarkand his capital, it became
one of the most powerful cities in the world.
Tashkent
Part modern capital, part traditional Uzbek town
• Colossal monuments & colourful local life
Sher-Dor Madrasa, Registan Square, Samarkand
Samarkand was also an influential scientific
centre. Among the many scholars here was
Ulugbek, Timur’s grandson and the ruler
of Samarkand. His observatory, built in the
1400s, was a model for the two famous Indian
observatories of the 18th century in Jaipur
and Delhi.
Although little remains of Tashkent’s history,
there has been a settlement on this site, where
the western outreaches of the Tian Shan
Mountains meet the Kyzylkum Desert, since
at least the first century BC. In 1966, it was
devastated by an earthquake, which allowed
the Soviet designers free rein to rebuild the
city with lots of open spaces.
Visit the old city quarter, which partially
escaped the planning and redesign of the city.
Some of the principal attractions include the
Kukeldash and Barak Khan madrasas, Tillya
Sheikh mosque, Kaffal Shashi mausoleum and
the Chorsu bazaar.
Chorsu bazaar, Tashkent
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