TASHKENT

Amir Timur Square – a square for military parades, a place for horse riding and walking in the past, and the oldest park in Tashkent, founded in 1882 by order of Governor-General Chernyaev. In 2009, the appearance of the square was changed taking into account the construction of new government buildings in the surrounding area.

Alisher Navoi Opera and Ballet Theatre – a yellow brick building combining classical and Central Asian styles, completed in 1947 by Japanese prisoners of war. The construction was carried out under the supervision of architect Shchusev, who also led the construction of the V.I. Lenin Mausoleum in Moscow.

Kukeldash Madrasah was built in the mid-16th century by the vizier of the ruler, Kukeldash. After being used as a warehouse and later as a museum during the Soviet period, the madrasah regained its religious function.

Khast Imam Square – the sacred heart of Tashkent and the least Russified and Soviet-influenced part of the city, consisting of Barak Khan Madrasah, Tillya Sheikh Mosque, and Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum.

Barak Khan Madrasah was built in the 16th century by a descendant of Tamerlane who ruled Tashkent during the Shaybanid period. It is the administrative center of the Mufti of Uzbekistan, the official head of Islam in the republic.

Tillya Sheikh Mosque – built at the same time as Barak Khan Madrasah and serves as a Friday mosque. Its treasure is the Quran of Caliph عثمان (Uthman), one of the oldest in the world, stained with the blood of the murdered caliph in 655.

Kaffal Shashi Mausoleum – the burial place of a local doctor, philosopher, and Islamic poet who lived from 904 to 979. The portal, inner dome, and arcade date back to the 16th century, when symmetrical forms were used in religious architecture.

Museum of Applied Arts – a repository of beautiful examples of folk art. Tsarist diplomat Polovtsev expressed his respect for Uzbek architecture by inviting craftsmen from Bukhara, Samarkand, Khiva, Fergana, and Tashkent to build his residence.

FERGANA

Khudayar Khan Palace – from 1863 to 1873, during a period of upheavals and conquests, Khudayar, the Khan of Kokand, built his palace-citadel, called “Urda” in contrast to the Bukhara Ark. American diplomat Schuyler described it upon completion as “more magnificent and more enchanting than any other in Central Asia… shining in all the splendor of its fresh tiles, blue, yellow, and green.” Khudayar built the palace not only to satisfy his own extravagance and glorify himself in vivid inscriptions, but also for his mother, the Kyrgyz Hakim Ain. Embarrassed by her habit of living in a yurt, he set up a tent in the courtyard imitating a yurt for her.

Friday Mosque in Kokand – the main mosque of the khanate for Friday prayers, built by Omar Khan between 1809 and 1812 as a capital version of a typical rural mosque. During the Soviet period, it was closed and reopened after restoration in 1989.

Babur Memorial Park – located seven kilometers southeast of Andijan, this park was opened in 1993 on the occasion of bringing soil from Babur’s grave in Kabul. The marble repository of this soil is the center of the garden spread across the hills that Babur loved to visit. Before leaving Andijan forever, he came here to say goodbye. There is also a small Babur museum with a lift to the top of the hill.

Yedgorlik Factory – in 1983, a group of workers from the Margilan silk factory created a workshop where silk was produced by hand, reviving and preserving traditional methods.

Norbutabey Madrasah – simple in design but impressive, this madrasah was built during the reign of Norbuta Khan in 1799. Unlike other madrasahs of Kokand, it continued to function during the Soviet Union.

Dasturkhonchi Madrasah – built for the education of men in 1833, the madrasah was reconstructed in the 20th century and in 1992 opened its doors to 60 girls aged 15 to 20. Traditional subjects were supplemented with housekeeping and embroidery.

SHAKHRISABZ

Ak Saray – “He who doubts our power and generosity, let him look at our buildings.” This saying of Timur is most closely associated with Ak Saray. After the capture of Kunya Urgench in 1379, Timur sent many captured craftsmen to Shakhrisabz to build the greatest palace, comparable to the Bibi Khanum Mosque in Samarkand. The name of the palace, “White Palace,” symbolized Timur’s noble origin rather than reflecting its dominant color, as its decoration was dominated by blue, green, and gold mosaics. Slave craftsmen from Khorezm and Azerbaijan were still working on the construction of the palace in 1404, when the astonished Spanish ambassador Clavijo passed between 65-meter towers supporting an entrance portal 40 meters high and 22 meters wide, into the inner courtyard of the palace, 100 meters wide and paved with marble. The courtyard was surrounded by a two-story arcade. The inscription on the eastern tower, executed in the “kufi” style, reads: “The Sultan is the shadow of Allah [on earth],” while the inscription on the western tower reads: “The Sultan is the shadow.” Perhaps the master deliberately avoided symmetry, which was forbidden by the Quran, but according to legend, the hot-tempered Timur considered himself insulted and ordered the master to be thrown from the top of the masterpiece he had created.

Kok Gumbaz Mosque (“Blue Dome”) – the city’s Friday mosque. Built in 1437 by Ulugbek in honor of his father Shahrukh (son of Timur). According to Ulugbek’s plan, the mosque became the main mosque of the city and at the same time the central part of the Dorut Tilavat madrasah (House of Contemplation). On the territory of the madrasah there are two mausoleums of representatives of the Barlas clan. The first of them was built by Timur in 1373–74 for Sheikh Shamseddin Kulal, leader of the Sufi order and spiritual advisor to Taragai, Timur’s father. The grave of Taragai is also located in this mausoleum. The second mausoleum was built over the graves of the Sayyids (descendants of the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad – Hussein). The presence of the second mausoleum explains the local name of the complex “Gumbazi Sayidan” – Dome of the Sayyids.

Dorut Saodat Mausoleum (“Abode of Power and Might”) – another architectural ensemble of the Barlas clan, completed in 1392. The original complex was conceived on a par with Timur’s other grand projects and occupied an area of 50 by 70 meters. This complex was erected in honor of Timur’s eldest and beloved son Jahangir, who died at the age of 22 as a result of a fall from a horse. The remains of Umar Sheikh, another son of Timur, are also buried here.

Timur’s Crypt – although Timur spared no expense in building mausoleums for his relatives, for himself he ordered the construction of a small underground crypt in Shakhrisabz. His last words were: “… only a stone and my name on it.” Instead, he was buried in the magnificent Gur Emir with a huge jade stone instead of a tombstone. The crypt is an underground chamber, almost without decoration except for inscriptions from the Quran on the arches. Almost all the space of the room is occupied by a stone sarcophagus, on which excerpts from Timur’s biography were engraved, based on which, when the crypt was discovered in 1963, it was assumed that it had been intended for Timur.

BUKHARA

Kalyan Minaret (1127) – (translated from Tajik as “Great”), one of the symbols of Bukhara. During its construction under the Karakhanid Arslan Khan, it was probably the tallest structure in Central Asia. This incredible structure, 47 meters high, has never been restored in its 875-year history.

Taki Zargaron (1570) – jewelers’ bazaar.

Taki Telpak Furushon – headwear bazaar.

Taki Sarrafon – money changers’ bazaar.

Magok-i-Attori Mosque – remains of a Buddhist monastery, a Zoroastrian temple, and a mosque of the Arab conquerors all in one place.

Lyabi Hauz Ensemble (1620) – an open square built around a pond (translated from Tajik as “around the pond”).

Nadir Divanbegi Madrasah and Khanaka (1630) – built opposite the Lyabi Hauz ensemble by the minister of Emir Nadir Divanbegi.

Kukeldash Madrasah (1568) – was the largest Muslim educational institution in Central Asia.

Ark Fortress – an ancient “city within a city,” the residence of ruling families, from which the construction of Bukhara essentially began.

Bolo Hauz Mosque (1712) – (translated from Tajik as “Mosque by the Pond”) a mosque for the royal court.

Ismail Samani Mausoleum (10th century) – the oldest structure in the city, known for its extraordinary elegance of style.

Chashma Ayub (12th century) – (“Job’s Spring”) – the complex was built near a spring. Legend has it that the prophet Job came to the Zarafshan Valley a thousand years before the Islamic period during a great drought. Job struck the dusty ground with his staff, and immediately a healing spring appeared at that spot.

Sitora-i-Mohi-Khosa (1911) – the summer residence of Bukhara Emir Alim Khan, built by Russian settlers.

Chor Minor (1807) – (“Four Minarets”) – one of the most unusual and attractive structures in Bukhara.

SAMARKAND

Gur Emir (in Persian – Emir’s Mausoleum) – the burial place of Timur and his descendants (15th century). The idea of creating the complex belonged to Timur, who wanted to build a mausoleum for his beloved grandson Muhammad Sultan, who died prematurely and was declared Timur’s successor. Later, Timur himself, members of his family, and two Sufi sheikhs were also buried here.

Registan Square – a majestic ensemble consisting of three madrasahs and a mosque, built between the 15th and 17th centuries. Ulugbek Madrasah – the oldest building on the square, was constructed by the order of Ulugbek (Timur’s grandson) in the 15th century. The other two were built in the first half of the 17th century by the order of Samarkand’s ruler – Yalangtush Bahadur.

Bibi Khanym Mosque – a giant congregational mosque, once the largest mosque in the Islamic world and the largest building in old Samarkand. It was built by Timur’s order in honor of his successful campaign to India in 1399. Construction lasted five years, but due to its enormous size, the mosque soon began to deteriorate. Later, the mosque became a colorful symbol of Samarkand, surrounded by numerous legends.

Shahi Zinda (The Living King) – the necropolis of Samarkand’s rulers and nobility. The name of the entire complex originates from the very first and holiest mausoleum – the tomb of Kusam ibn Abbas, cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, who, according to legend, first preached Islam in this territory.

Ulugbek Observatory (1420) – remains of a huge (30 meters high) astrolabe for observing the stars, part of a three-story observatory discovered in 1908 by Russian amateur archaeologist Vyatkin. Today, visitors can see the underground part of the massive quadrant, which was overlooked by fanatics who destroyed the observatory in 1449.

Afrosiyab Ruins and Museum – the remains of a city destroyed by Genghis Khan in 1220. The museum houses fragments of 7th-century frescoes discovered during excavations of the Afrosiyab ruins.

TERMEZ

Hakim at-Termizi Complex (11th–15th centuries) – includes the mausoleum of Hakim at-Termizi and a small history museum. Hakim at-Termizi, born in 748, successfully combined mysticism with science and was known as one of the greatest Islamic philosopher-mathematicians.

Archaeological Museum – the only museum of its kind in Central Asia with unique exhibits. All exhibits are archaeological finds from the Surkhandarya region.

Kirk Kiz Kala – this extraordinary bastion of 50 rooms was a country residence of the ruling Samanid dynasty in the 9th–10th centuries.

Sultan Saodat Ensemble – a collection of 17 mausoleums, serving as the family burial place of the Termez Sayyids, who are direct descendants of Caliph Ali.

Jarkurgan Minaret – 25 meters high, built in the 11th century from brick laid in 16 interwoven bands, resembling the traditional architecture of fortress construction.

Fayaz Tepe – excavations located 2 kilometers from the ruins of Old Termez, consisting of archaeological remains of an ancient Buddhist monastery about 2,000 years old and a monastery complex that has hardly been preserved.

Dalverzin Tepe – archaeological excavations near the city of Denau, 140 km from Termez. It was once an important city of the Kushan Empire and an early capital of the Yuezhi tribes. To this day, only the eroded remains of a Buddhist temple – a Bactrian shrine – and a Zoroastrian altar have survived.

Zurmal Tower – located 3 kilometers from Old Termez and visible from the M-39 road. The 16-meter tower is the remains of a Buddhist stupa and is most likely the oldest surviving structure in Uzbekistan. Most likely, in the 3rd–4th centuries, during the flourishing of Buddhism in Bactria, the stupa, which housed valuable relics, was decorated with red brick and covered with limestone slabs.

KHIVA

Muhammad Amin Khan Madrasah (1852–1855) – the largest madrasah in the city, capable of accommodating up to 250 students or 130 romantic tourists, as today the building functions as a hotel.

Kalta Minor (Short Minaret) – conceived by the khan in 1852 as the tallest minaret in the Islamic world (over 70 meters), but abandoned immediately after the khan’s death at a height of only 26 meters.

Kunya Ark (Old Fortress) – the residence of the ruler of Khiva, built in the 12th century and later expanded in the 17th century. The harem, mint, stables, military barracks, arsenal, mosque, and prison were all located here.

Pahlavan Mahmud Mausoleum – Pahlavan Mahmud – the Hercules of the East, Pahlavan Pir – the wrestler-saint, Pirar Vali – an anti-religious Persian poet, Mahmud – the furrier – all died here in 1325 to become part of legends, a hero-sage and the patron of the city. The mausoleum, with its cozy courtyard and exquisite decoration, is one of the most beautiful places in the city.

Islam Khoja Madrasah (1908) and Minaret (1910) – the youngest Islamic monuments in Khiva. Islam Khoja, by whose order the madrasah and minaret were built, was the prime minister at the beginning of the 20th century and, by Khivan standards, a liberal. The minaret is 45 meters high and the tallest in Khiva.

Friday Mosque (1788) – notable for its 213 columns, each 3.15 meters high, supporting the roof – a structural concept borrowed from the earliest Arab mosques.

Tosh Hovli (Stone House) – a residence and harem built between 1832 and 1841 by Allakuli Khan as a more luxurious alternative to Kunya Ark.

NUKUS

Karakalpakstan State Museum of Arts in Nukus – the pearl of the region, housing an outstanding collection assembled by Igor Savitsky (1915–1984) in the first half of the 20th century. Igor Savitsky, an artist from Moscow, first arrived in Karakalpakstan as part of the Khorezm archaeological and ethnographic expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The result of this trip was years of studying and collecting ethnographic material from the region, ranging from ancient times to the present. He discovered relics of ancient Bactria and Sogdiana left by the legions of Alexander the Great in the 3rd century BC. He also carefully collected and documented the traditional lifestyle of the people who migrated across this territory during the 19th century. In the 1950s, Igor Savitsky founded the Karakalpak Museum of Arts, where he placed his collection. However, Savitsky’s achievements do not end there. He was a great admirer of Russian and Uzbek artists who worked between 1900 and 1930. These artists, belonging to the generation that revolutionized modern European art, were largely unknown in their time. Savitsky understood that their works represented a unique blend of Uzbek and Russian avant-garde, offering insight into their origins. The works of these artists were forgotten and systematically destroyed by the creators of a new socio-political ideology. Igor Savitsky collected more than 81,500 works from that period. All these works are preserved in the archives of the Nukus Museum. Since its opening, only a small part of the collection has been exhibited in the museum.

Ellik Kala – the 4th–1st centuries BC mark the flourishing period of the ancient Khorezm civilization. It is hard to imagine that the harsh and hot expanses of the Kyzylkum desert were once densely populated. As the Amu Darya gradually changed its course toward the Aral Sea around the 2nd century BC, the region slowly dried up and became deserted. As the river changed its bed, irrigation canals controlled by local feudal lords became increasingly important in people’s lives. Once these canals were destroyed, once-thriving cities quickly declined and disappeared, leaving only reminders of their former glory. Archaeological sites such as Janbas Kala (2nd century BC), Toprak Kala (4th century BC), and Ayaz Kala (4th century BC) belong to this period.