Cemeteries and memorials to visit Ferghana Valley

The old cemetery of Kokand is a magical place, especially when you get lost in the finissante day. The screams of the swifts are then the only ones to disturb the absolute calm there. The graves, for most simple whitewashed monuments, appear to be arranged randomly. We walk here quietly, asking from time to time under a tree. The tombs with pastel colours, sometimes blue or pink, indicate early death. It is in this cemetery that you will see the magnificent tombs listed below.

Behind the Tomb of the Kings, this white tombstone commemorates Nadira, Omar Khan's wife. This is the opportunity to discover this poetess who lived from 1792 to 1842 (she was murdered by the Emir of Bukhara when he took over the city). After the death of her sovereign husband in 1822, she ruled the Khanate of Kokand. She is known for her poems written in both Uzbek and Persian. This slab is the object of pilgrimage by many women.

In this cemetery lies, to the left about thirty metres from the entrance, the French explorer in Central Asia, Joseph Martin, who died in Ferghana in 1892. Falling in love with the steppe, he undertook explorations in Siberia. His work earned him many distinctions in France and Russia. In 1888, he made his third trip, but contracted malaria between Lanzhou and Hotan. It was almost blind that he finally joined Marguilan and Ferghana. He was rushed to hospital, but could not be saved and died on May 23, 1892.

The Babur Memorial was built in 1993, on the very spot where, according to legend, the last Timurid ruler turned to take a last look at his city before leaving for Afghanistan. On the entrance walls, a fresco illustrates the great events in Babur's life, from his accession to the throne at the age of 12 to his death in 1530, including his exile in Afghanistan and the creation of his empire in India. Babur was originally buried in Agra, India, before his grave was moved to Kabul, Afghanistan.