Uzbekistan is the perfect holiday destination for anyone looking to indulge themselves in history. Even though the term ‘Uzbekistan’ was only first used in the 16th century, the region has been inhabited at least since the first millennium BC, when the ancient Scythians roamed the land. Ever since then, what is now known as Uzbekistan has been a birthing ground for all kinds of cultural and architectural wonders and five of those marvels are recognised as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
1. Historic centre of Bukhara
One of the oldest cities in Uzbekistan is Bukhara. Located on the Silk Road, its roots go over 2000 years back and, until today, it is the most complete example of a medieval city in Central Asia, according to UNESCO. The famous tomb of Ismail Samani, which is a splendid example of 10th-century Muslim architecture, and many 17th-century madrasas are some of the city’s highlights.
“The real importance of Bukhara lies not in its individual buildings but rather in its overall townscape, demonstrating the high and consistent level of urban planning and architecture that began with the Sheibanid dynasty”, UNESCO writes.
2. Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz
Talking about ancient cities, Shakhrisyabz might be just as old or even older than Bukhara. Formerly known as Kesh, the city was founded over 2,700 years ago and was an important part of the Achaemenid Empire (also known as Persia) in the first millennium BC.
Its historic centre is an important witness to that rich history and is just as eclectic, even though most of the remains date back to the rule of Amir Temur and the Temurids, in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Ak-Sarai Palace, the Dorus Saodat burial complex and the Chor-su bazaar are some of the most interesting architectural wonders in the city.
3. Itchan Kala
Within the city of Khiva, a second settlement is hidden: Itchan Kala. 10-meter high brick walls separated the inner town from the rest of the Khiva oasis, which once functioned as the last stop for caravans before crossing the desert to Iran. Spanning over 26 hectares and set up as a regular rectangle, thereby respecting the ancient traditions of Central Asian town building, the inner city houses 51 ancient monumental structures and 250 dwellings.
“Although few very old monuments still remain, it is a coherent and well-preserved example of the Muslim architecture of Central Asia. There are several outstanding structures such as the Djuma Mosque, the mausoleums and the madrasas and the two magnificent palaces built at the beginning of the 19th century by Alla-Kulli-Khan”, UNESCO explains.
4. Samarkand: crossroad of cultures
Evidence of settlement near the historic town of Samarkand, located in a large oasis in the valley of the Zerafshan River, goes back to 1,500 BC and the city itself was founded in the 7th century BC as Afrasiab. Since then, it has acted as a crossroad and a melting pot of the world’s cultures. However, its most significant development took place in the Timurid period from the 14th to the 15th century AD.
Currently, the historical Samarkand consists of three main sections. The north-eastern part comprises the ancient city of Afrosiab, which was destroyed by Genghis Khan in the 13th century and is now preserved as an archaeological reserve. In the south lie several architectural ensembles and the medieval city of the Temurid period. Finally, the western area consists of 19th– and 20th-century expansions, built by the Russians in a European style.
“The contribution of the Temurid masters to the design and construction of the Islamic ensembles were crucial for the development of Islamic architecture and arts and exercised an important influence in the entire region, leading to the achievements of the Safavids in Persia, the Moghuls in India, and even the Ottomans in Türkiye”, states UNESCO.
Some of the most important monuments include the Registan mosque and madrasahs, which were originally built in mud brick and then covered with decorated ceramic tiles, the Bibi-Khanum Mosque and Mausoleum, the Shakhi-Zinda compound and the ensembles of Gur-Emir and Rukhabad, as well as the remains of Ulugh-Bek’s Observatory.
5. Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor
The Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor, one of the key sections of the Silk Roads in Central Asia that connects other corridors from all directions, stretches out over 669,679 hectares and three countries: Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. The 866-kilometre corridor runs from east to west along the Zarafshan River and further southwest following the ancient caravan roads crossing the Karakum Desert to the Merv Oasis.
From the 2nd century BC to the 16th century AD, many goods were traded along the corridor, making the region a melting pot of ethnicities, cultures, religions, sciences and technologies. Many remnants remain from this rich history, including the Chor Bakr necropolis, the Kasim Sheikh Architectural Complex and the Akja Gala Caravanserai.
