Uzbekistan, The Gateway To The Ancient Silk Route
So why should all travellers visit Uzbekistan and its mesmerising ancient cities at least once in their lives? For us at Gaya Travel Magazine, it is due to its numerous historical accounts and amazing detailing of its architecture. Or perhaps, the Uzbek slow-pace lifestyle is a good enough reason for us to escape from hectic Kuala Lumpur. Either way, we truly believe that Uzbekistan is a perfect getaway for those who are constantly hungry for lessons in history or for aspiring photographers who are eager to capture the country’s moments and the beauty.
Uzbekistan is also widely known for its warm and good- looking people, who belong to various ethnic groups like the Uzbeks, Russians, Tajiks and Kazakhs. Like us, most of the travellers who visited the country couldn’t help but be charmed by their exotic features and fair complexions. Moreover, they are generally diet conscious, thus, most of them are blessed with firm bodies. But most importantly, the people of Uzbekistan made us feel at home during the entire journey by showing us their kind hospitality and sociability.
Tashkent- The Modern City
-
- A wide selection of traditional Uzbek handicrafts
-
- Newly married Uzbek Couple
Our journey in the capital city of Uzbekistan started at the Khazrati Imam Complex, a centre that consists of several madrasahs, mosques, a library and a museum that stores the oldest existing Quran in the world named Uthman Quran. There were many theories on how the Quran ended up in the soil of Uzbekistan, but the most probable one was that it was brought to Samarkand by Amir Timutr in the 14th century.
Today, this beautifully adorned complex houses over 20 craftsmen selling their handmade products inside the courtyard of Barakhan Madrassah. Some of them even organised workshops to Uzbek youngsters so as to keep the knowledge alive. Do take note that while it is free to enter the complex, travellers still need to pay 6,000 Soum to enter the museum.
The corridor of World War II Memorial
Later, we continued to the World War II Memorial where we saw thousands of names of the fallen soldiers engrave don the granite walls. It is also here that the monument of the sad woman is situated, symbolising the sorrow of every affected mother and the rest of the nation due to the loss of their loved ones. Adjacent to the memorial is Tashkent’s largest square called the Independence Square, which covers almost 12 hectares of land. The square is landscaped with green gardens, exquisite monuments and fountains. It is also surrounded by colonial inspired government buildings and public offices since the Soviet era. This is where residents of Tashkent celebrate their Independence Day every year.
An evening at Shahidlar Xotirasi Memorial Complex
Shahidlar Xotirasi Memorial Complex on the other hand is the memorial for the Uzbek victims of repression from 1860s to 1991. The complex comprises a park, a museum, an artificial river and a rotunda with inscriptions in three languages Arabic, English and Uzbek – saying “The memory of those who died for their country will live forever.” The museum exhibits information from the first Russian excursion to the Cotton Scandal in the 1980s.
Another highlight of Tashkent city are its stunning Metro Stations decorated with classical yet timeless designs. Interestingly, each of the 36 stations is an original work of art following various distinctive themes. Prominent architects and artists of Uzbekistan took part in designing these stations, making it some of the most ornate metro stations in the world. The only bad news about these stunning beauties is that taking photographs is strictly prohibited. Travellers should therefore not miss the experience riding the underground trains even for just a little while to admire the wonderful stations.
Bukhara- The Lucky Place
As we touched down in Bukhara after a 43-minute flight from Tashkent, we immediately felt like we had been transported back to the medieval period. Here, seems like every single building under Bukhara’s perfect blue sky has an intriguing story. Being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the organisation states that the city is the most complete and unspoiled example of a medieval Central Asian town that has preserved its urban fabric to the present day.
One of the town’s historic attractions is the Ark Fortress. Back in the beginning of the 20th century, the fortress was initially a city in itself as everything could be found there such as a palace, warehouses, barracks, an arsenal and even prisons. Today, it also houses a museum that exhibits information on the fortress and the country.
Kaylan Mosque
Poi-Kalyan Ensemble is also a Bukhara’s must-see attraction. It comprises Mir-i Arab Madrasah, Kalyan Mosque and the impressive Kalyan Minaret. According to legend, even Genghis Khan – the one who destroyed half of the city – was very impressed with the minaret’s structure. His helmet fell down when he raised his head to look at the minaret, so when he bowed down to get it back, he allegedly said “I never bowed to anyone. But this edifice is so grandiose that it deserves a bow.” The ensemble was destroyed and reconstructed many times, but only the minaret survived from all catastrophes, be they earthquakes,fires or brutality of previous invaders.
Our personal favourite in Bukhara was definitely the Lyab-i-Hauz Complex that apparently was everyone’s favourite too due to its serenity and magical atmosphere. It has a large artificial pond, surrounded by Nadir Divan-Beghi Madrasah, Khanaka (a place where Sufis once stayed and meditated) and Kukeldash Madrasah. Apart from that, the complex is also a good place to do some shopping. We encourage travellers to have dinner at a restaurant nearby the pond. Afterwards, do take a stroll again in the complex to immerse into the lively local scene because the night time is the time when Bukhara comes alive.
A man is having respite at the tomb of Bahouddin Naqshbandi
A trip to Bukhara is not complete if travellers did not visit the Bahouddin Naqshbandi Memorial Complex, in honour to one of the founders of Sufism (ascetic Islam), Bahouddin Naqshbandi. Here, visitors are advised to not make much noise since the place is considered hallow. Close to the complex are graves of Bahouddin’s mother and relatives. Interestingly, the local single women believe that cleaning the graves in early morning would lead to eventually finding good soul mates – I couldn’t resist the idea, so I took the broom and swept the floor, hoping that such deed might bring me luck soon. But then again, it was already afternoon when I was doing it, so am not sure how it will all turn out – let us just wait and see…
Samarkand – The Shiny Point of the East
“I heard that Samarkand is a very beautiful place. But when I came, I was surprised to see it’s much more beautiful than I expected.”
-Alexander the Great
By train, it takes approximately 4 hours to get from Bukhara to Samarkand, a city founded in the 8th century B.C. Being the second biggest city in the country, Samarkand is divided into three parts: the Russian area, the old city and the ruins of minimal town which is called Afrosiab.
Ulugbek Observatory
Thirst with curiosity, we began exploring the city starting with the Ulugbek Observatory, an observatory built by the renowned astronomer and mathematician, Mirzo Ulugbek, who was also the grandson of the great Amir Timur. He had found 1,018 stars throughout his career including the Mirzo Ulugbek and Samarkand stars. He also managed to write accurate trigonometric tables of sine and tangent values correct to at least eight decimal places.
In other part of Samarkand, there is also Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis, a huge complex comprising mausoleums and ritual buildings dated from 9th to 19th centuries. But the main feature here is the mausoleum of Kusam ibn Abbas, the Prophet Muhammad’s cousin. Here, we learned from our guide that Prophet Muhammad mentioned that “Kusam ibn Abbas is more similar to me than any other persons in terms of character and look.”
The majestic golden interior in Tillya-Kari Madrasah
Meanwhile, Registan Square is the heart of Samarkand city. It is also said that all roads in the city lead to the square its impressive three madrasahs: Ulugbek Madrasah, Sher-Dor Madrasah and Tillya- Kari Madrasah, all can be seen from many points in the city. For us, the Tillya-Kari Madrasah stood out from the rest with its majestically gilded interiors. The walls, the dome and the mihrab of the madrasah were all thoroughly and opulently decorated in blue and gold, simply overwhelming whomever enters the building.
Imam Bukhari Mausoleum
Being Muslims, Imam Bukhari is no stranger to us. Thus, the opportunity to visit the burial place of that highly respected Islamic scholar at the Imam Bukhari Mausoleum was indeed priceless. Here, visitors normally perform a sunat (not compulsory but encouraged) prayer in the mosque before continuing to see the tomb, the library and the museum that exhibits gifts presented by the prominent leaders around the world.
An Uzbek woman 4 knotting a silk carpet
Other places of interest that we feel worth visiting while in Samarkand include the Gur- Emir Mausoleum, the ornately decorated resting place of Amir Timur and his family, and a silk carpet factory called Samarkand Bukhara Silk Carpets Workshop, where travellers can learn about the processes involved in making high quality Uzbek silk carpets and purchase them.
Tips from an Uzbekistan First-timer to another:
1. The weather in Uzbekistan during summer can be very hot and dry especially in Bukhara, which may bring bizarre effects on unprotected skin. Thus, do bring along moisturiser and lip balm to keep your skin moist.
-
We learned that the best time to visit Uzbekistan is during Autumn and Spring as the weather should be more bearable. Plus, the atmosphere is said to be more beautiful at those times. In Tashkent, you will be able to witness an ocean of lovely red tulips at most of the major streets if you were there in May.
-
If possible, do pack lightly if you plan to visit most of the cities in Uzbekistan. Some of the facilities there, i.e. train stations, are not conducive for travellers with much luggage. Believe us, it will only slow you down.
-
It is always a good idea to bring along bottled water when you are travelling around the cities as it will come in handy when the places you stop for toilet breaks do not have water.
-
It is advisable not to change all of your money to Soum at once since the currency is not exchangeable back to USD or any other hard currency. But just in case you are out of Soum, most merchants readily accept USD when doing business.
-
While we love the idea of travelling independently, we do still encourage travellers to opt for a guided tour in Uzbekistan. This is because there is still lack of English signage around the cities and most menus in restaurants are written in either Uzbek or Russian, therefore having a guide will definitely ease your travel experience. The usage of English language in Uzbekistan is definitely growing, but most of the locals especially the elders, are still not proficient in it.
-
Another great perk of having a guide is that they will secure you halal food throughout the trip since it is quite tricky to determine the halal status of the food you consume here since the country does not have a Halal Certification Body.
-
Do not lose your hotel registration slips throughout the whole time you are in Uzbekistan as they are needed during the immigration process before departure.
About The Author
Leave a Reply