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July 2008
Uzbekistan - Silk Road Romance

A republic of Central Asia, Uzbekistan borders the Aral Sea and five countries, its countryside consists mainly of the flat desert of the Kyzyl-Kum and its cities are glorious Silk Road emblems of the past. The old Greek named for this area was ‘Transoxiana’ - a name that echoes through the ages in literature and poetry - and was named after the river Oxus (now Amu Darya River) that runs through the country.

Tashkent is Uzbekistan's capital city and is testament to Soviet-era architecture and city planning, with green and shady parks it’s a great place to start any tour of the region. Towards the far north-west of the country lies the city of Khiva, on the fringes of the Kyzyl-Kum Desert. Khiva is regarded by many to be the best preserved stop on the old Silk Road and was reputedly founded by Noah's son, Shem. Must-sees include the exquisite 19th century Tosh-Khovli Palace, the 225-foot tall Islam-Khodzha Minaret, and Pahlavon Mahmud’s mausoleum. Nearby, the fantastic mud-walled fortress of Ayaz Qala and the ancient ruins of Toprak Qala and Qavat Qala are also regional highlights.

A World Heritage-listed site, the city of Bukhara is widely regarded as Central Asia’s holiest city and has a vast span of history and architecture to discover. Most of the monuments in this romantic eastern city, which attracts tourists from all over the world, date back to the Middle Ages. Highlights include the Klyan Mosque, Ismail Samani mausoleum and the Po-i Kalyan architectural complex located at the foot of the great minaret. The town of Nurata, formerly known as Nur was founded in the 3rd Century BC by Alexander the Great and was once regarded as the frontier between the cultivated lands and the steppes. The remains of Alexander's military fortress can be seen rising up above the town and the water supply system that he built is still partially used even today.

Samarkand, a city that evokes the romance of the Silk Road perhaps more than any other, is the second largest city of Uzbekistan. From its founding in the 5th Century BC, this crossroads of cultures, religions, peoples and languages has been a centre of artisans and traders, as well as the prize for many a conquering army. Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and many other conquerors, destroyed Samarkand, which rose each time from the ashes. Samarkand today is regarded as one of the world's great ancient cities and has UNESCO protection. The turquoise domes of Samarkand are among the world’s most evocative architectural symbols and Registan Square is considered an architectural gem and represents some of the finest examples of Islamic art in the whole world.