Tashkent, the Uzbek capital, has been a settlement of some kind or another since the 1st century BC and was largely rebuilt following a devastating earthquake in 1966. Attractions include many excellent museums, a number of mosques and madrasas, and the Zangi-Ata Mausoleum complex. More...
Samarkand—the Pearl of East
Samarkand, the ancient city of Afrasiab and already an important settlement in the 1st millennium, was one of the jewels of The Silk Road. It was also the home of Tamerlane whose mausoleum is a major attraction, as is the famous Registration Square, the Bibi Khanum Mosque and the Shah-i-Zinda Mausoleum complex. Some 15 kilometres outside of town is the Imam Al-Bulahari Mausoleum, a shrine for the entire Muslim world. More...
Bukhara—Museum on Open Air
Bukhara was once known as 'The Divine' because of the number of religious schools and mosques there. Besides being a main trading centre, it was a pilgrimage site for Muslims visiting Imam Bakhouddin Naqshbansdin's mausoleum. Its main attractions include the Ark, where the emirs live, the UNESCO-protected Kalyan Minaret and a number of restored madrasas in the old downtown section. More...
Khiva—City of Thousands Domes
Khiva, located in Chorku, was an oasis town on the northern Silk Road spur on the way to Russia and became known for its artisans. The entire city has been remarkably preserved and declared a national reserve. It is like an open-air museum and perhaps the finest example of an old Silk Road city in Central Asia. More...
