The most beautiful religious buildings Ferghana Valley

In the cemetery, the Modari Khan Mausoleum, built in 1825, houses the remains of Omar Khan's mother, who died only seven years after her son and always remained very close to power, while successfully and popularly indulging in poetry. The monument is surmounted by a blue dome and its portal imitates, in miniature, that of the Bibi Khanum Mosque in Samarkand. It is therefore mainly women who go on pilgrimage to this tomb and, as elsewhere, go around the grave three times to obtain health, happiness or fertility.

The Dakhma-i-Chakhan Mausoleum (or Tomb of the Kings) is more imposing and colourful than the other funerary monuments in the cemetery. Built in the 1820s, it houses the tombs of Omar Khan, his sons and brother. Restored in 1970, it combines styles that illustrate the talents of the three khanates of Uzbekistan: the woodwork of Khiva, the paintings of the Ferghana and the ornaments of Bukhara. An old tree at the entrance, planted at the time of its construction, provides shade for passing pilgrims who come to collect themselves.

One of the most beautiful monuments in the city! Built by Omar Khan between 1809 and 1812, its style is monumentally reminiscent of the style of the mosques at iwan. 99 wooden pillars, a veritable forest, support a ceiling with woodwork painted with traditional motifs. It is said that 100 elephants left India to bring back the precious wood from the pillars. One elephant died en route, so there are only 99 to support the awning. The total length of the iwan is 100m. In the middle of the courtyard rises the minaret, which is 22 m high.

The site of Bibi Seshanbe is located next to the village of Sultanabad. People come here on pilgrimage for its sacred water sources, below a small mausoleum. Around it, a pleasant park offers a cool walk. Families and pilgrims come here to spend the day, especially during the hot weather, because the place always remains cool, thanks to the springs. One lingers for selfies around the springs before joining in family a tchaikhana which makes it possible to be restored and to spend a pleasant moment around a takhtan.

Leaving Khodjaobad in the direction of the Kyrgyz mountains, Oman Ota is a place of pilgrimage and resort appreciated by the inhabitants of the region. People come to pray in a small mausoleum whose origin is not clear but which is very popular with women who come there to pray for pregnancy. All around, chaikhanas welcome whole families and groups of friends. Overhanging, the young lovers climb a small mountain up to a cave. There, out of sight, they can contemplate the horizon and make a wish

Built after independence on the site of a 16th-century mosque, the Khonakah Mosque can accommodate up to 6,000 worshippers for the Great Friday Prayer between noon and 1 p.m. At the entrance, the two minarets are 26 m high. Non-Muslims may enter and admire the woodwork and paintings that adorn the mosque, but will be kindly dismissed during prayer. Make sure you take off your shoes and wear a suitable outfit (legs and long sleeves, head scarf for women and of course no skirt).

Leaving the cemetery, take the street that enters the city, on the other side of the road. Go around the first block, turning twice to the right; the madrasa is on the left after the second turn. This madrasa, built in 1833, was partially restored in 1992. To the left of the entrance, a beautiful iwan with traditional woodwork and paintings is worth a visit on its own. Unfortunately, the rest of the building is rather abandoned and of little interest until it has been completely restored.

Dating from 1799, this madrasa was one of the few, along with the Mir-i-Arab Madrasa in Bukhara, to accommodate students during the Soviet period. Today it has closed its doors but is open to Uzbek and foreign visitors who request access. You can get an idea of the life that reigned here by entering the cells on two floors: the ground floor was used for study and the preparation of meals while the first floor was reserved for rest.

This gigantic complex comprising a madrasah and a mosque and capable of accommodating 10,000 worshippers, was built between 1885 and 1892 by a wealthy inhabitant of Andijan. The madrasa has two domes, a 123 m long façade and 122 cells and was largely preserved during the 1902 earthquake. It underwent renovation work between 1970 and 1975, before being transformed into a Literary Museum in 1997. Inside, one can access the roof and the two domes, which offer a bird's eye view of the nearby Jumi Mosque and its minaret.

Built at the beginning of the last century, in 1915, this highly photogenic mosque is distinguished by its immense dome topped by the crescent of Islam. With a diameter of just over 14 m, this dome is one of the largest in Central Asia. In the 1990s, it was home to the Wahhabi organization Namangan and was closed in 2001 due to the actions of the MIO. It has since reopened as a madrasah to welcome students from the Mullah Kyrgyz Madrasah.

The Vendredi Mosque in Namangan was closed after the September 11 attacks. We can, however, admire the two minarets encircling its entrance, which differ radically from Uzbek style to remind the mosques of Istanbul…

Following Uishinskaya street, take the second street on the right after the madrasah. This is the former rue des couteliers, which leads to a mausoleum dating from the 18th century where only men are allowed to enter. Note the terracotta decorations and inscriptions on the façade, typical of Ferghana art. Inside there is nothing particularly noticeable, but when you come out take a look at the adjoining mosque and madrasah, which welcomes Muslims for prayer.

Restored in 1992 and again in 2011, this madrasa was founded in 1910 by a wealthy cotton magnate and fervent Muslim from Namangan. The portal and the minarets have been completely restored and are decorated with white, yellow, blue and green ceramics. Inside, a small courtyard planted with colossal trees is surrounded by 35 cells that could accommodate a total of nearly 150 students. To the right of the entrance, a little higher up, note the work on an iwan with finely decorated woodwork that dominates the whole.

This is the main site justifying your visit to Shakhimardan, which is a particularly important place for Muslims, since it is one of those where, according to legend, Ali, the Prophet's son-in-law and fourth Caliph of the Muslim world, could be buried. Before his death, Ali, conscious of being loved and respected throughout the umma, the community of believers, asked that seven graves be dug throughout the empire and that seven coffins be prepared and weighted equally, as no one should know in which coffin his body was actually lying. So it was done, and after his assassination, the seven coffins were placed on seven camels which were scattered throughout the Muslim world. Another legend claims that a single camel carried Ali's coffin, but that it multiplied by seven after a few meters, each carrying a few relics of the late Caliph. When the last camel was gone, one of Ali's sons turned to God and asked him, "How will I know which grave to go to to make sure that I am buried in my father's true grave? "And God answered him that the true tomb of Ali would be surrounded by very high mountains with snow-covered peaks, where two rivers of translucent water meet. This description corresponds to Chakhimardan (which takes its name from Ali, Chakhimardan meaning "King of the Brave Men"), but it is part of the legend that changes according to the tomb next to which one is standing. Uzbekistan claims to have hosted two other tombs, one in Khiva and another in Nurat; the others are said to be in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Afghanistan. For every Muslim, the visit to Ali's tomb, before the great pilgrimage to Mecca, is obligatory. According to the village elders, a first mausoleum was built by the fourth generation of Ali's descendants, towards the end of the 9th century. In fact, no one knows when the original building was erected. It is known, however, that it was destroyed in 1922, along with the 234 stone and fir steps leading up to it. A second mausoleum was built during the Second World War, but on a different model than the first one, as no one was familiar with the techniques necessary for an identical reconstruction. This second mausoleum was again destroyed in 1956 by the Soviets, and replaced by a monument to the dead of the Second World War. In 1991, this monument was moved, and a third mausoleum was erected on the model of the second.

This mosque is built near a source of holy water, a place of pilgrimage where the ancient Cultes cults and the cult of Islam's saints coexist.