Uzbekistan
Khiva
In the south-west of the country lies Khiva, an oasis city that is part of the Silk Road and will enchant you with its fairytale atmosphere. The old town resembles an open-air museum with numerous mosques, madrasas (Koranic schools) and mausoleums. Among the most striking oriental buildings are the mighty walls of the Kunya Ark Fortresswhich are worth a stroll, the Palace Tash-Hauli and the minarets Islam-Hodja-Madrasa and Kalta Minor. With its 57 meters, the minaret promises a unique view over the rooftops of the city. If you long for a break, many teahouses and cafes with authentic drinks and sweet pastries await you with refreshments.
Bukhara
In the midst of desert sand lies the Oasis City Bukhara, one of the oldest and most charming cities of all Uzbekistan, which is also called the “holy city”. As a former center of Islamic teachings, Bukhara is home to many monuments and cultural testimonies to the city’s wealth of influence. The old trading city Bukhara was in former times just like Samarkand of great importance on the Silk Road. Especially the very well preserved old town with its magnificent palaces and mosques will take you back in time. The old town is characterized by its many well-preserved and worth seeing buildings and inspires me with its many temples, medreses and mosques, because of which Bukhara also to the World Heritage Site was appointed.
Tashkent
Two thousand years ago, Indian spice traders and Chinese silk merchants passed through the famous bazaars of Tashkent – at the meeting point of the Silk Roads – on their way to Europe. Tashkent is a cosmopolitan, multi-ethnic city where Uzbeks, Kazakhs, descendants of Mongol nomads, Armenians, Tajiks and many other ethnic groups live together. The architecture is as diverse as the people who live there: old Arabic buildings, Soviet prefabricated buildings, mosques and dazzling glass buildings. Stroll through colorful bazaars, wide streets and green parks and flowering gardens and taste your way through the many delicacies in the countless small cafes that offer Uzbek, Arab, European and Russian specialties.
Samarkand
Samarkand is an oasis city in the northeast of Uzbekistan. It is one of the oldest cities on earth and was conquered by Alexander the Great, destroyed by Genghis Khan and made the capital by Tamerlan, among others. The Silk Road runs through Samarkand and due to the important monuments from the city’s heyday, it was designated a “Crossroad of Cultures” included in the World Heritage List of UNESCO.
Nurota
The ancient city was founded in 327 BC by Founded by Alexander the Great. At that time, a fortress was built, with which the troops of Alexander the Great prepared an attack on Samarkand. Even today, numerous remains of the military fortress are enthroned in the south of the city, which is one of the oldest and most important archaeological monuments of the region. You can climb the fortress and enjoy a picturesque view of the city from the top. The ancient plumbingwhich he had installed, is still partly used today.
Kokand
Kokand was the capital of the Khanate of Kokand. During the 18th and 19th century the city was just as important as Bukhara. It was a major city of trade, religion and development in what is now the Fergana valley. Unfortunately, not much of its long history is still visible. Most of the city was built after Kokand became a Russian vassal state in 1868. Still, the Kudayar Khan palace of the last khan definetly warrants a visit. There are also some mosques and madrassah’s that are worthwhile.