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U z b e k i s ta n : T h e Oa s i s o f P e ac e
Uzbekistan, the Central Asian
pearl, offers multinational society and long history. Discover
local cities and treasures as well
as UNESCO sites and the peaceful and hospitable nation.
Destination
Uzbekistan –
Fascinating and Ancient
U zbe k i s t a n: T h e O a s i s of P e a c e
greatest Asian scientist of the Middle Ages, or
the genius Al-Biruni (973-1048) who mastered
almost all sciences of his time, and last but not
least unbelievable rulers such as Tamerlane,
Babur …
We come to the land which once was the center of the Silk Road, now the modern republic of Uzbekistan (about the size of Sweden,
447.400 km2). Slowly growing in 20th century,
under the Russian Soviet rule it was since 1936
one of the USSR’s 15 autonomous republics.
Today the landlocked independent nation state
(1991) is enclosed with the high mountains in
the east (Tianshan) and desert plains in the
west, between the dead-end rivers Syr-Darya
(the ancient Yaxartes to the north) and AmuDarya (the ancient Oxus to the south) which
Alexander the Great had added to the world
map then known to Europeans.
Since the 6th century BC this “continental
oasis” was a strategic and dynamic center of
the world, where Sogdiana was the homeland
of ancient Iranians and Aryans long before
Greek and Roman times, where Persians have
dominated, Arabs and Mongols invaded, and
their descendants created a vast Islamic empire
from modern Turkey into India.
Fergana and Kokand
Curious about the world’s most thrilling oasis?
The land of the Uzbeks invites you.
Uzbekistan fascinates with over 4000 oriental monuments and four unique world heritage centers, seducing with the traces of the
ancient Silk Road and the aura of the spirits
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of Avicenna (Abu Ali Husayn ibn Abdallah ibn
Sina: 980-1037), the Persian scholar, lexicographer, physician, philosopher, musician and
poet, or Muhammad Al-Khorezmi (783-850),
the Central Asian mathematician, astronomer,
historian, geographer and Alhamdulillah the
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Entrapped by high mountains Uzbekistan’s
easternmost destination has been known long
before Tang China’s Empire saw its apogee in
8th century. The fertile Fergana basin supplied
the “heavenly horses” to the “Middle Kingdom”, after the descendants of Greek colonists
settled there during the times of Alexander the
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U zbe k i s t a n: T h e O a s i s of P e a c e
Great in 329 BCE, the “Ionians” leaving their
name (“Yuan” ) and fame in ancient Chinese history as well. In Fergana the first ever
known major contacts were made between
Indo-Europeans and migrants from the preHan Chinese civilization. It was from there
that the transcontinental Silk Road originated
in 1st century, enabling Buddhist faith and
Greco-Buddhist culture to enter China, attracting Turkish nomads in 6th century and alluring
the awesome “invincible” Mongolians in 13th
century whose hordes laid in ashes whatever
they encountered. One of their descendants
was Babur (1483-1530), who was born here
conquering Afghanistan and India, and establishing the powerful Moghul empire.
Modern Kokand, the basin’s center, resurged
in 18th century as a fortress (Eski-Kurgan). As
the trading hub of a vast Khanate and important religious center with over 300 mosques
and 35 madrassas (Quran schools) – Madrasah
Norbutabi (1799) being the largest one – it
fiercely rivaled with the neighboring Emirate of
Buchara, under which rule it finally fell in 1842.
Buchara
Buchara is the most complete example of a
medieval city in Central Asia, remaining a living
museum with the tomb of Ismail Samani (10th
cent.), an overall townscape shaped under
16th century Uzbek Sheibanid rule (when
Samarkabnd was the capital) and a large number of 17th-century madrassas.
In 709 Buchara was the main cultural centre of the Caliphate of Baghdad, the star of an
enormous Arabian empire. In 892 it became
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the wealthy capital of the independent (Persian) Samanid Kingdom, booming in agriculture, mining and Eurasian trade with textiles,
soap, carpets, furs, oil, honey, nuts, melons,
cosmetics, horses and slaves. Destroyed by
Genghis Khan in 1220, nomadic Uzbek tribesmen revived the oasis town in 15th century
establishing the Khanate of Buchara. When
this was finally incorporated into the Russian
Empire in 1868 the medieval wonder possessed 38 caravanserais, six trading arcades,
45 bazaars, 16 public baths, 200 mosques and
over hundred madrassas.
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Samarkand
The tributes of exotic fruits called “golden
peaches” to the imperial capital of Chang’an
made Samarkand famous in China during the
Tang dynasty (6-10th cent). Founded as early
as 7th century B.C. (ancient Afrasiab), Samarkand is one of the oldest cultural centers in the
world and had its apogee during the Timurid
dynasty (14th–15th cent). Tamerlane (Timur-e
Gurkāni / Timūr-e Lang) had conquered large
parts of Central Asia from here, theoretically
ruling from India to the Black Sea.
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His evidence are colossal monuments in the
capital, particularly the cathedral-like Bibi-Khanum Mosque, which due to its size could not
be fully restored, or his own mausoleum and
tomb. Both rival with the palace-style constructions at central Asia’s most splendid square: the
Registan (“sandy place”). This has remained the
heart of the old town which is surrounded by
three gigantic madrassas – an imposing architectonic ensemble of Persian artwork unique
in the world: Ulugbek-Madrassa (1417–1420),
Sher–Dor-Madrasssa(1619 – 1636) und Tilya–
Kori-Madrassa (1646 – 1660).
More exceptional monuments are found in
Shakhrisyabz (ancient Kesh), Timur’s birthplace and “model town” encircled by mighty
walls and equipped with baths and caravanserais. The center of the Timurids (15th-16th
cent) excels with the richly decorated Ak-Sarai
(“White House”: 1380) summer palace and the
original “Tomb of Timur”.
Urgenc and Chiva
If anything comes next to the aforementioned highlights it is the successor of legendary Choresmia (Khorezm: “low-lands” or “land
of the sun”). Urgenc, today a modern town, was
settled since 4th century BC. Under Persian rule
it gained fame for its water engineering, gardens, orchards, and as a Silk Road trading hub.
Yet it was also feared for its infamous inhabitants, who marauded as far as Egypt and Palestine and in 12th/13th century also dominated
all over Persia. Again, the Mongols (1220) and
Timurids (1388) destroyed this flourishing oasis.
With Uzbek Turks arriving in 1511 a state of
Chiva (Khanate since 1643) was founded south
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of lake Aral. A new town was built in 1598, after
the Amu-Darya had changed its riverbed. Chiva
town became the last resting-place of caravans
before crossing the Karakum desert to Iran.
Although few very old monuments have been
left, Chiva today is probably the most dazzling
fully preserved example of medieval Muslim
architecture. It became an “open museum”
under Soviet times (1967), and a UNESCO
world heritage site in 1990. A 10 m high crenellated brick-wall (17th cent) surrounds the fortified old town (Ichan-Q’ala), where four mighty
entrance gates lead to an ensemble of over 50
historic monuments and 250 houses dating
back to the 18th / 19th centuries.
At the west gate lies the fortress Kunya Ark,
once the Khan’s residence, including the 10th
century Djuma mosque. Amongst numerous
minarets projects a tremendous unfinished
one, intended to become the most splendid
Islamic monument in the world: the 14 m
“thick” and 26 m high Kaltan minor (“short
minarest”) lavishly decorated with typical
blue-turquoise-green-white tiles: for the glory
of God and urban pomp. The highest minaret
with 45 m height rears up besides the IslamKhodja madrassa (1908), which together with
the madrassa of Alla-Kuli Khan (1835) at the
eastern gate, amazing for its space and calligraphic artwork, exemplarily demonstrates
the once famous Quran schools of this magic
oasis town – symbolizing integrated learning
and commerce.
By Dr.Engelbert Altenburger
I-Shou University, ass. prof. at the Faculty of International Business, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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U zbe k i s t a n: T h e O a s i s of P e a c e
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The Golden Midway of
the Silk Road
U zbe k i s t a n: T h e O a s i s of P e a c e
Multinational and Colorful
The modern Uzbekistan is a secular state
with the population of about 30 million people of different nationalities: Uzbeks, Russians, Jews, Kazakhs, Uighurs, Tajiks, Turks,
Greeks and Kyrgyzs. The area has been multinational for very long time and therefore it
is almost impossible to provoke a riot here on
ethnic grounds.
The consistent state policy aimed at cultivating liberal attitudes towards religions and
tolerance plays a huge role in maintaining the
stability. Uzbekistan is the most peaceful country of the Central Asian region. The friendly,
welcoming and non-militant mentality of the
Uzbekistan people, which they are famous for,
has a significant importance for the stability in
the country.
Discover the Land
Bolo Khauz Mosque in Bukhara
Uzbekistan is a country in the Central Asia
that borders with Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan,
Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan. It is
one of the two countries in the world, which is
separated from ocean at least by two boundaries, it is the heart of the East, and in ancient
times this area was of strategic importance –
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those who conquered the land became the
emperors.
Ancient Khorezm and Sogdiana spread from
plains to mountains, from desert to oasis, had
always attracted Rome and Byzantium with its
mysteries and natural balance. There were a lot
of legends about the treasures of these lands.
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The best time to travel to Uzbekistan is
spring, from early March to June, and autumn,
from late August till November. Winter is short
and warm; summer is dry and hot with its forty
days Saraton. In different regions of Uzbekistan, the temperature difference can reach
20 degrees centigrade. The coolest area is the
mountains of the Fergana Valley; Karakalpakstan is the hottest and the driest area.
In spring, on March 21, Uzbekistan celebrates
the Eastern New Year, a pagan festival Navruz,
which has always been a bright, funny and
memorable time, a season of cherries, strawberries, apricots, flowering trees and rave of
colors. Autumn in Uzbekistan is the velvet,
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Ichan Kala in Khiva
golden and sunny season, with plenty of fruits
and vegetables in markets and bazaars.
The original heritage of Central Asian civilization – mosques, mausoleums, caravanserais,
madrasahs, strongholds, signal towers, Emirs’
palaces and ancient neighborhoods – are of
immense interest for the tourists.
Historic Cities
Three cities in Central Asia – Samarkand,
Bukhara and Khiva are the pearls of medieval
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architecture. Many monuments in these cities
are under UNESCO protection and carefully
guarded and maintained in Uzbekistan.
Khiva is a museum town, the dream from
the “One thousand and one nights” tales, an
impregnable fort of the ancient Khorezm, it is
walled, with four gates at the cardinal points.
In this city every stone appears to be a symbol
of something everlasting, here you can see one
of the oldest mosques and one of the highest
unfinished minarets.
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U zbe k i s t a n: T h e O a s i s of P e a c e
The patron of Khiva, Mahmoud the Hero, was
a philosopher and poet. Mamun Academy of
scientists worked here, and Al-Khwarizmi, the
greatest scientist of the medieval East, wrote
his tractates here.
Samarkand was the capital of Tamerlane's
Empire, a city of legends and the great conquests, a science and education center, one
of the most tolerant cities in the world where
many religions and beliefs exist side by side.
Palaces of Samarkand are the unique architectural structures built in the time of Timurids. In Samarkand there is the tomb of Tamerlane, it is the structure of incredible beauty,
decorated with majolica, gold and onyx.
Bukhara is the religious heart of the East. It is
a point of interest for pilgrims. In Bukhara there
are architectural ensembles that remained
unchanged, the old town untouched by civilization, the Emirs’ country palaces, monuments
of culture dated before the Arabian invasion.
Tashkent is the largest metropolitan area in
Central Asia, combining hoary antiquity and
super-modern urbanism, the city where you
will find a lot of secrets and mysteries, once you
move away from highways and skyscrapers.
The Koran of Osman, which is a relic of Muslims, is kept in the museum of Koran in Tashkent; the book contains unique lists stretching
back centuries.
Handicrafts and Art
Uzbekistan is also well known for its handicrafts. This includes ceramics, which in each
region varies with respect to the manner of
production, materials and colors. This also
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one of the most professional ones in the postSoviet world. Uzbeks have always been distinguished with the love to a good rhyme, thin
lines and elegant proportions. Commitment
to the canons closely coexists with the love for
innovations.
Philosophy and Teahouses
Chashma Ayub Complex in Bukhara
includes the production of handmade silk carpets, the production of the smallest of which
takes not less than a year. It is also the national
embroidery which you can see on the traditional Suzane, tablecloths, bags and clothes;
silk and cotton scarves, woven and printed,
whose manufacturing technology dates back
to the time of Tamerlane. The old machines
and printing tools are themselves the works
of art. This also includes embossing: the most
beautiful products are traditionally made in
Bukhara and Kokand.
Applied art in Uzbekistan is one of the favorite
activities. Exhibitions, fairs and festivals of folk
art are held here several times a year. School of
Fine Arts of Uzbekistan has traditionally been
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It is impossible to describe the wonderful
country in just a few words... The reasons to
visit Uzbekistan may take many pages to write.
Moreover, seeing once is better than hearing
and reading twice, and it is better and much
more exciting to touch the treasures and mysteries yourself, to see the beauty of nature and
biosphere reserves, the harsh beauty of the
desert, to hear the sounds of oriental bazaars,
to philosophize in teahouses drinking a cup
of tea, lying on an old aivan, to gain wisdom,
peace and appeasement.
By Farkhad Rasulev (Dolores Travel Services)
Dolores Travel Services Company offers historical,
pilgrimage, environmental and extreme, incentive and
VIP tours for groups and individual tourists through
Central Asia – Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. You may also use the
transportation services, visa support and hotel reservations in Central Asia, which all are provided by the
Company.
http://www.sambuh.com
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U zbe k i s t a n: T h e O a s i s of P e a c e
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U zbe k i s t a n: T h e O a s i s of P e a c e
Uzbekistan between
Myths and Reality
Uzbekistan, hmm… = Afghanistan
and Pakistan?
Uzbekistan as a republic and as a unique and
distinct nation exists only since 1924, the time
of creation of “New Asia” or the manufacturing
of nations by the soviet government (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan etc.). Therefore,
from the etymological point of view, the phenomenon of “uzbekistan” has appeared at the
beginning of the twentieth century.
The truth is that when mentioning Uzbekistan most of western people have no idea
where the country is located mixing up Uzbekistan with Afghanistan or Pakistan.
Uzbekistan in the south borders with Afghanistan, a beautiful country looking for peace,
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which is still uncertain. In addition, northern
Afghanistan has a relatively stable level of
security. Mostly populated by uzbeks, northern
Afghanistan is also the region that differs ethnically from the rest of the country. The people
are very hospitable, in spite of their past life in
many conflicts and wars.
The name “Uzbekistan” derives from the
name given to the dominant ethnic group of
the region: the uzbeks. The suffix of the name
has its origin from the persian word “stan”
(“country”, “place”). Uzbekistan thus means
“The Land of Uzbeks”. The same rule applies
to the other countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan etc.
Uzbekistan = The Heritage of the
USSR?
Carried by the peaceful wind, the sun tells a
tremendous love story. That of Alexander the
Great. That of Genghis Khan. That of Turks,
Arabs and Persians. That of Russians and their
boundless passion for this region of Central
Asia. Each of these love stories has left its mark
without erasing its predecessors. Significantly
each has played its positive or negative role, this
is the history. We accept it, we appreciate it.
The 70-year dominance of communism left
its mark on Uzbekistan and its people, but also
in the minds of western people. As a result the
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Khiva
western point of view perceives Uzbekistan
as an old satellite country of the former USSR
with kolhoz, sovkoz, huge military parades,
KGB agents etc.
Such stereotypes are sticking to the cultures
for a long time, but unfortunately they also
exert a great influence on public opinion. The
fabulous historical heritage and the countless
mixing of populations that have occurred in
Uzbekistan since ancient times decidedly open
the door to wisdom.
This year Uzbekistan is celebrating its 20th
anniversary of independence. What a great
path it traversed throughout these years! It
is well known that after having obtained the
independence in 1991 Uzbekistan has chosen
its own model of development. The political,
economic and social reforms have been made.
The State has become the main actor who initiates progressive, social oriented changes. We
must objectively evaluate all the advances of
the young independent state that has great
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Boukhara
potential and real opportunities for its development.
Uzbekistan = Samarkand?
My observations show that the majority of
French speaking people associate the country with Samarkand, a name that makes you
dream of turquoise domes, colorful markets
and fragrant spices, camel caravans, great
adventures...
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Samarkand, a key step on the Silk Road
narrated by Marco Polo, described by Amin
Maalouf in his novel titled "Samarkand" is a
city in the perfect setting for tales of the Arabian Nights. For some people, visiting Samarkand became the aim of life.
I have great affection for Samarkand, my
hometown, however, the magnificent and
majestic Samarkand is not all Uzbekistan.
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U zbe k i s t a n: T h e O a s i s of P e a c e
Uzbekistan is a country of high culture, that
is deeply rooted in centuries of history of Central Asia. Throughout its history Uzbekistan has
been a bridge between the East and the West
between the peoples and nations, a crossroad
of ancient roads, a meeting place for men
through all their linguistic, cultural and religious backgrounds.
Moreover Uzbekistan is a home of hospitable
and friendly people, inquisitive and ready to
offer the best of their self with ease. They will
ask you to take pictures of them and as prize
you’ll see smiles on their faces. It is a welcoming country, because after all these years of
isolation, the Uzbeks seize upon every opportunity to welcome new friends from afar.
Uzbekistan is a country rich in natural
resources – there is the cotton, also Mourountaou gold, uranium in Navoi, a good production
of oil and gas, and also the ancestral people
with their know-how in agriculture and trade.
The greatest chance of Uzbekistan is that
the current developments make it a sanctuary, a refuge of peace. Hopefully in the near
future Uzbekistan will be recognized by its
official name not only in favor of cotton, gas,
turquoise domes, etc., but with the sparkling
eyes and soothing smiles of Uzbeks who will
welcome you with the open heart!
One look at this wonderful country and you
will become its spiritual prisoner forever.
By Julia (Gulia) Yusupova
http://www.silkroaddestinations.com
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U zbe k i s t a n: T h e O a s i s of P e a c e
Yurt Camp Aydar – A Traditional
Uzbek Steppe Experience
Somewhat off the beaten path of the Great
Silk Road in Uzbekistan, travelers can sample
life as the Uzbek people's nomadic ancestors
did – in yurts. Beyond the ancient cities of
Bukhara, Samarkand, and Khiva, beyond the
pulsating capital city of Tashkent, a trip to the
desert steppe for a stay in an authentic yurt
makes the Uzbekistan travel experience complete.
A yurt, a portable tent-like structure with a
lightweight wooden lattice frame and walls of
animal skins or furs, is an icon of desert nomad
traditions. Yurts are designed to be assembled
and disassembled quickly, then loaded onto
the backs of horses or camels. Roaming pastoJanuar y, 2012
ralists of Central Asia have been using yurts for
centuries as housing that can follow them as
they follow their herds.
Today, yurt camps cater to travelers who seek
adventure and the real Central Asian steppe
experience in Uzbekistan. A few different yurt
camp options are available outside the city of
Khiva. For those who wander even farther off
the beaten path, however, the Aydar Yurt Camp
is an oasis in the very center of the Kyzi-Kum
desert. Here, the founder A. Syrymov has created the ultimate steppe experience, complete
with a lake excursion, camel safari, traditional
Uzbek tea, banquet meals, and nighttime bonfires serenaded by a national folk singer.
Upon arrival at Aydar Yurt Camp, Syrymov
greets his guests with cordiality and jest. He
offers tea in the shade once each guest has settled into the yurt. “You must know how to read
the signals that your host provides in traditional tea drinking in the steppe,” he explains.
“If your host fills your cup to the top, it means
he wants you to drink fast and leave. If your
host fills the cup halfway, it means he will continue to fill it, little by little. You are welcome to
stay.” He fills each guest's cup, partially.
After tea time, guests have a chance to spend
the afternoon riding camels around the premises or going on an excursion to nearby Lake
Aydar. A dip in the cool waters of the lake is
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a refreshing escape from the desert heat, and
the sandy shores make Uzbekistan feel a little
less landlocked than it is.
Upon returning from the lake, guests can
rinse off in the newly-installed bathroom and
shower facilities. Recently, Afsona tour operator partnered with Aydar Yurt Camp to bring
all their restroom facilities up to Afsona's tour
accommodation standards. Now that the project is complete, Aydar is ready for all classes
of tourists, and Afsona can include Aydar Yurt
Camp in its upscale itineraries. “We wanted to
be able to bring our whole spectrum of clients
here,” says Kristina Yermakova, trip developer
for Afsona, “even the ones whose itineraries
include only the higher-end hotels during the
rest of the trip.”
The interior of each yurt is comfortable and
simple. Folkloric weavings and decorations add
color to the wood lattice walls. Each yurt can
sleep up to ten people, as bedding is a simple
yet cozy mat and pillow, with fresh sheets and
blankets. Luke Ford, founder of Gunyah Short
Breaks, was impressed with the quality and
comfort of the sleeping conditions. “I slept better in the yurt than in any other hotel during
the trip,” he recalls.
Once the guests have bathed and relaxed,
they are called to dinner in the dining yurt.
Inside, a traditional candlelit Uzbek banquet
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awaits. The first course, as always, is variety of
fresh vegetable salads, soup, and the decoratively stamped Uzbek bread. This is followed
by a delicious 'plov,' a classic Uzbek main dish
consisting of rice, lamb, and savoury seasonings. Rounds of vodka are poured from start to
finish.
Nightfall on the Uzbek steppe brings with it
a whole new enchantment. A highlight of the
stay is watching the sun set behind the rolling
desert dunes. Eventually vivid shades of red
give way to dusk and a stunning moonrise. This
queues the host that it's time to start preparing the wood for the nightly bonfire. After dinner, everybody moves out to the center of the
yurt camp, where the fire is smoldering. On
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special nights, a national folk singer mesmerizes guests with songs he plays on the stringed
shashtar accompanied by bittersweet lyrics
about nomadic life on the steppe.
Finally, for one last moment of awe and wonder at the darkness of the desert sky at night,
Syrymov fine-tunes his telescope and invites
his guests to peer into it. It is aimed at the surface of the moon. Constellations of stars are
shining overhead, and everyone slowly retires
to the yurts. A night on the Central Asian
steppe comes to a brilliant end.
By Cynthia Ord
http://www.afsona-travel.com/
http://www.gunyah.com/
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U zbe k i s t a n: T h e O a s i s of P e a c e