The most beautiful religious buildings Uzbekistan

In the middle of a cemetery, this complex of mausoleums and mosques was built between the 9th and 16th centuries. Its origin is the wise Azrat Khussan Ata, who died there. Born in the city of Turkestan (now in Kazakhstan), in the ninth century according to the imam of the mosque, in the eleventh according to Soviet scholars, he would have gone as far as Mecca and returned here, in Poudina, to teach the Koran near an old tree near a basin he would have built. It is also here that, a few centuries later, Baha Al-Din Naqchband, the founder of the Sufi order in Central Asia, whose mausoleum is a few kilometres from Bukhara, is said to have come to learn here. Around the tomb of Khussan Ata, votive cloth and a ponytail bear witness to his high degree of wisdom. The main mausoleum houses the remains of the holy man and his daughter. The other three, again according to the Imam, contain those of Khussan Ata's brother and his sons, then those of the second brother and his wife, and finally those of the first brother's daughters. On the side of the Soviet researchers, one would rather consider that these are the tombs of nobles of the region. Whichever version you subscribe to, this site seduces by its timeless character and by the different aspects of its architecture, which spans some ten centuries. Moreover, the crossing of the village of Poudina and the reception of the old turbaned imams would be enough in themselves to justify the displacement.

South of Shahrisabz, take the direction of Gouzar; in Kamachi, turn east towards the village of Langar where you must see the Juma Mosque (Friday Mosque), then climb to the mausoleum of the most famous Saint of the region, Mohamed Sadik who lived in the th century. With perseverance, you can go by bus, but it's much simpler by taxi. Ask for advice from Hotel Shahrisabz staff.

At the foot of the Zeravchan chains, the dakhma of Khodja Public Khan died in the late th century, facing a deserted khanaka. On the hill, twelve wells owe their origin to this saint who would have raised pure water by touching the land of his stick.

The largest mosque in Uzbekistan was inaugurated in autumn 2014. Desired by the president, Islam Karimov, it was inaugurated with great pomp and ceremony and can accommodate 2,400 people. Made of white marble and taking up the classical architecture of the country, its mosaics represent the sky. The gold-covered mirhab is based on writings from the Qur'an and the central building is flanked by two high minarets. The ensemble is not yet very patinated and in this sense still lacks a bit of charm, but all around have been created pleasant green spaces along the Ankhor canal.

The Friday Mosque of Langar dates from the 16th century. A gift from Mohamed Sadik to the village, it is absolutely magnificent. Not only have its architecture and decorations been preserved for almost five centuries, but its central role in local social and cultural life has remained unchanged. Still in operation, it gathers all the inhabitants on Fridays around 1pm for the Imam's preaching. They discuss the Koran and religious teachings, of course, but they also resolve disputes between neighbours, socialize...

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 in the second half of the 16th century, during the reign of Abdullah Khan II (1557-1598). Under the Soviets, the Koranic school had become an administrative building. The motifs on the façade are inspired by the madrasah of Ulugh Begh in Samarkand. The madrasa, now the largest in Tashkent, is once again welcoming students and it is worth passing under its entrance gate to admire a pretty courtyard bordered by cells on two levels. Right next door is the Grand Friday Mosque.

Built in the early 19th century, this madrasa was one of the most famous Koranic universities in Tashkent. The students studied the Koran, but also the legacy of all the great Uzbek and Muslim scholars: astronomy, mathematics, medicine, Persian and Arabic literature... In recent years, the madrasa has become a tourist attraction and now houses shops and workshops for craftsmen, wood engravers, ceramists, painters of miniatures on boxes. There are also embroidered fabrics and jewellery.

It appears as a village of isolated white houses in the desert at the foot of a mountain. Photogenic image at will creating already a mysterious atmosphere conducive to the visit of the site. A vast cemetery surrounds the mausoleum of Sultan Uvays Bobo, a giant who was said to measure no less than 12 metres! The locals can take you to the nearby Sultan Uvays Mountains to show you his footprints. It is a famous place of pilgrimage that has kept an atmosphere out of time. Feel free to go there during the Navruz period.

The mausoleum of Zenghi Ata, the black sheikh, and that of his wife Ambar Bibi were built in the 14th century on the orders of Tamerlan. This Mecca of Islam has recently been renovated and no longer has the appearance of romantic ruin that it had in the 1980s. The pilgrims are fervent and numerous, the tourists discreet. Architecture, decorations and mosaics are typical of the Timurid period. The madrasa, still in use, the small tree-lined courtyard and the mosque are additions from the 18th century, and the mosque from the 19th century. The minaret dates from the beginning of the last century. The mausoleum of Ambar Bibi is in the cemetery next to the mausoleum of Zenghi Ata. Many women come to pray there, going around the building three times while embracing the walls. The walls are covered with prayers, wishes or simple words drawn with pens on the brick. The pilgrims then choose a tree in the cemetery to whose branches they attach small pieces of cloth so that the wind can carry away their prayers and make their fertility wishes come true. This is a good opportunity to visit a funeral building that is the object of fervent pilgrimages while staying out of the tourist circuits to enjoy an authentic and local atmosphere. The best time to make the visit will be on Friday, after the Great Prayer, or during the celebration of Navruz, the festival marking the return of spring, when pilgrims are most active throughout the country.

This small mosque dates from the end of the 16th century. It has two iwans supported by 7 posts, flanking a prayer room. The woodwork of the iwans is well damaged, but this is an opportunity to see paintings in their original state. The courtyard is pierced by a vast basin, and a minaret of 11 m, entirely rebuilt, dominates the whole. Under the basin would be buried Juma Masjit, a native of Samarkand, who preached Islam and came to Karchi to die. Next to it, two 16th-century tombs engraved with Arabic motifs add to the dilapidation of the site.

Close to the bazaar and the main square, and built on the same model as the other two madrasas in the neighborhood, the Bekmir Kozok madrasa was founded in 1906 and financed by a wealthy sheep breeder. Since 1991, it has housed a library for blind and visually impaired people, who learn to read Braille. In general, these blind people have suffered from chemical fertilizers and pesticides during the cotton harvest, which was done without protection. One can enter for a visit and a short discussion with the director.

Built at the beginning of the 20th century around an octagonal courtyard with a square basin, the small madrasah now serves as the premises of the Karchi Association for the Protection of Historic Monuments. Under the basin passes one of the secret passages built in the 18th century so that the population can take shelter in the basement in case of a nomadic raid. The passage connected the palace to the outside of the city, beyond the second line of walls. It has never been consolidated for the time being and therefore cannot be visited.

The Kok Kumbaz Mosque, built at the end of the 16th century outside the present-day city of Karchi by Abdullah Khan II, was used for the great services: Ramadan, the pilgrimage to Mecca. The 32 m high dome and the original 28 m high portal were destroyed by the Russians in 1886, and the mosque was closed by the Soviets between 1922 and 1933, during which time it was used as a warehouse. In 1968, the dome and portal were rebuilt and in 1982 Samarkand workers took over the decoration.

The mausoleum of Al-Boukhari is one of Islam's high places of pilgrimage. Born in 810 in Bukhara, Abu Abdullah Mahamed-ibn Ismail Imam al-Bukhari is one of the most revered saints of Uzbekistan. During a long journey of more than 15 years, on his return from the great pilgrimage to Mecca, he collected more than 600,000 words of the Prophet, the Hadith, from all over the Muslim world. Today, pilgrims are once again freely crowding around his grave. The mausoleum with the blue dome was completely rebuilt in 1998. It is now surrounded by a huge inner courtyard lined with iwan. The pond and the century-old trees surrounding it are all that remains of the old site. President Islam Karimov took the decision to raze everything else, including the old tomb, in order to make the mausoleum a new Mecca. The work was financed by Saudi Arabia. The best craftsmen in the country have participated in this rebirth. Particularly noteworthy are the different carved wooden doors, as well as the gold and majolica decorations in the mausoleum, which bear witness to the talent of contemporary craftsmen. Nevertheless, the monument swears a little by its modernity and visitors may find it difficult, if pilgrims are not present, to feel the same religious fervour as in the other monuments of the country. In any case, proper attire, head covered for women, is required to enter the complex and visit its different parts.

Built near the mausoleums in the 18th century, the mosque was named after an 8th-century saint whose body Tamerlan is said to have been brought back from Baghdad by Tamerlan. If the path leading to it is cluttered with tourist souvenirs, one can instead wander between the walls that mark the ancient foundations of the buildings that adjoined the mosque to make a large religious complex. It is in this small maze that the access to Tamerlan's crypt is located. Back in the central courtyard of the mosque, enjoy the shade of hundred-year-old trees with impressive trunks.

Visible in the main street of Shahrisabz, this mosque, high in 1914 next to the th century baths, was made to worship after independence. The baths were closed for renovation during our passage and no information was available on the fate reserved for them.

The unusual and asymmetrical appearance of this mosque perched on the hill of Afrosyab immediately catches the eye. The colonnaded iwan and the domed entrance date from 1854. In 1919, the architect Abdukadir Bini Baki added a portal and the minaret. This mosque, dedicated to Elijah, the patron saint of travellers and groundwater, was built on the site of another mosque, itself built on the site of one of the oldest holy places in the city in pre-Islamic times. It was near this site that the running water canal of the ancient city of Afrosyab passed, and it is known that the Zoroastrian priests were responsible for irrigation and all matters relating to water, one of the sacred elements of the ancient religion. From the iwan, there is a breathtaking view of the Shah-i-Zinda.

When you reach the mosque via the viaduct, recently built above the road to connect it to the bazaar, you can also visit the tomb of Islam Karimov. The former Uzbek president was buried in his hometown, a stone's throw from the Travellers' Mosque, and lies in a small pavilion with many basil plants, which are supposed to accompany the souls of the dead to the afterlife. It is a place of meditation for many Uzbeks and the tourist guides are full of praise, even if many more people think that the country is doing very well without its former dictator..

The mausoleum of Sheikh Burhanuddin Sagarji, known as Rukhobod or 'residence of the spirit', was built in 1380 by Tamerlan to house the remains of his mentor and his family. It is one of the oldest monuments in the city. Its architecture is simple: a cubic base with symmetrical sides, surmounted by an octagonal drum on which rests a conical dome 22 m high. Large dimensions that recall the Timurid origin of the building.

It is said that a lock of the Prophet's hair was buried with the saint's remains. His grave lies almost in the centre of the mausoleum, next to that of the sheik's wife, Bibi Khalfa. When he died in China, his body was mummified and brought back to Samarkand on camelback, also buried in the mausoleum under the cobblestones. The paving stones are scratched by the nails of the architect, who signed his work.

The other ten graves are those of Sheikh Burhanuddin Sagarji's children, eight boys and two girls. The tombs of the latter two can be recognized by their more tapered shape and are decorated with suras from the Koran. The east door is original, and still bears, engraved in Arabic script, Tamerlan's favourite phrase: "Allah is the only God and Muhammad is his prophet". The 14th century minaret has also been restored. Its architecture is a reflection of the entrance portal of the khanaka. Just behind it, the splendid traditional house in iwan, with colonnades and painted woodwork, is that of Khodja Muin Shukurullaev (1883-1942).

Set on the edge of the Afrosyab cliff overlooking the Syab River, the long, five-domed mausoleum would have a most soothing view if a factory hadn't been built just below it. He was abandoned for a very long time. In 1996, Patriarch Alexis, passing through Uzbekistan, came to visit the tomb of St. Daniel. The "Mausoleum of the Prophet Daniel" is indeed the only place in Samarkand that attracts and gathers pilgrims from the three monotheistic confessions: Muslim, Christian and Jewish. It was built at the beginning of the 14th century by Tamerlan, who brought back the bones of the saint from his campaign in Asia Minor. Eugene Schuyller, in 1873, although he does not mention the mausoleum, reports that hermits had lived in caves in the cliffs of Afrosyab. It is probably one of those caves that can be seen right next to the mausoleum and which was used as a millikhana. The grave is no less than 18 m long! It is said that the bones of the saint continue to grow a few centimetres each year. At the head of the tomb, one can see ornamental elements of Koranic calligraphy engraved in the stone. At the foot of the steps, near the river, a small domed building houses a holy water source. The believers make their ablutions there and quench their thirst. Outside the moments of pilgrimage, it is a cool, very calm and soothing place where it is good to stop for a few moments on the way back from Afrosyab's visit.

Located almost opposite the Khodja Abd-i-Daroun complex, the 15th-century mausoleum of Ishratkhana is the burial monument of the women and children of the Timurid dynasty. It was built by Khabibi-Sultan-Beghim, wife of Sultan Abu Sayid. Its name, which translates as "house of joy", would have been given to it because of its sumptuous decorations, which can only be guessed at today. Following the earthquakes of 1897 and 1903, the central dome collapsed. In the centre, an underground crypt houses about twenty tombs.

The mausoleum of Tamerlan's wife, slender and rather solitary, is also a place of pilgrimage for women. It was erected at the end of the 14th century and houses, in its octagonal crypt, three coffins of women. The interior has again been "perfectly" restored. That is to say, with strong gilding and shiny interlacing, which takes away a little from the authenticity of the whole. And, as with the mosque, it is no longer possible to go up to the roof of the mausoleum. But the staff occasionally seems more open to discussion on the subject, with tips...

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).

All the mausoleums gathered around that of Saoddat, or "invincible", were built between the 11th and 17th centuries. A central alley, originally 200 m long, leads to the portal of the complex sumptuously decorated with blue ceramics with geometric motifs. On the left, a mosque; on the right, in a crypt, is the tomb of Emir Hussein. There are still about 50 metres of the original driveway. A flight of stairs leads to the roof of the mausoleum on the right, which allows you to contemplate the whole from a certain height.

The complex consists of the mausoleum itself, a mosque and a khanaka. The mausoleum, which dates from the 11th century and of which some original sections of the walls still remain, houses the tomb of Al-Hakim Al-Termezi, a learned astronomer and Sufi master, who was born in the 7th or 8th century. He is credited with writing 32 books and an exceptional longevity of 120 years. The tomb was built when he died in the 9th century, the decorations were made in the following centuries.

A little out of the way, overlooking a district on the southern outskirts of Djarkurgan, this minaret, which dates from 1109-1110, is ten years older than the Kalon minaret of Bukhara, making it one of the oldest in Central Asia. But more than its age, it is its architecture that makes it special. The present minaret is 22 m long, whereas according to archaeologists it originally reached 50 m, which made it equal to the minarets of the Bibi Khanum Mosque in Samarkand. Its mud-brick structure arranged in 16 semi-columns is unique and gives it a surprising grace, despite its truncated proportions. The arrangement of the bricks creates patterns such as undulations, and from below, the perspective is accentuated by the narrowing of the semi-columns towards what was the head of the minaret.

The minaret has been enhanced with the creation of a small garden at its feet, and above all the opening of a small regional museum, which has been built right next to the minaret, and is worth a visit. Realistic works by the contemporary painter Mansurov are on display and illustrate particularly interesting scenes of Uzbek social life. The custodian of the keys is at the school next door: if he is not at the museum, don't hesitate to pick him up at the school. It will also open up the minaret which can be climbed to give you a dominant view of the region. Caution: the spiral staircase is very narrow, steep and dark. Ask the guard to lend you a flashlight.

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.

To the west, the Koutloug Mourad Inak madrasa, built between 1804 and 1812, under the reign of the eponymous khan, by the grandfather of Allah Kouli khan. Khan Koutloug Mourad Inak wanted to be buried in his madrasah, but death surprised him while he was in Dichan kala, the outer city. Since the law forbids the entry of the dead into the inner city, Allah Kuli Khan found a solution by tearing down the city walls that separated the madrasah from the outer city. There was no longer any reason why the khan should not be buried in the vestibule of his madrasah. It was Khiva's first madrasah with two floors of cells. Another special feature is that it is built on top of another madrasa dating from 1688: the Khodjamberdibi Madrasa, which, during the new construction, was converted and renamed Khujum. The domes and the gate were removed, and a passage was drilled through the middle of it. It now serves as a terrace at the gate of the Koutloug Mourad Inak madrasa. The arches of the cells are visible at the front of the great madrasah. The large underground well located in his courtyard supplied pure water to the entire inner city. Today the children come to fetch the banknotes that the pilgrims threw there and no one drinks any more of its water. In season, a puppeteer offers his little show to tourists for whom a few benches have been set up in the courtyard.

The Allah Kouli Khan madrasa was built in 1834 opposite the Koutloug Mourad Inak madrasa, forming the traditional couple of kosh madrasas. One of the largest in the city, it housed Khiva's library. At that time, Allah Kouli Khan wanted to completely reorganize the eastern entrance of the city. He had the inner city wall demolished and a whole complex of commercial and religious buildings erected, thus moving the centre of the city to the vicinity of the Tash Khauli Palace. The new complex included a huge caravanserai, a covered market, baths as well as a madrasah and a mosque. The caravanserai was turned into a supermarket by the Soviets. A curiosity! It opens onto a 14-dome timer. A gallery with 6 domes runs along the Allah Kouli Khan Madrasa and leads to Palvan Darvosa, the east gate, which opens to the outer city and the bazaar. The Allah Kouli Khan Madrasa is only really interesting because of its majestic deep blue portal. Inside, around a rectangular courtyard measuring 30 m by 34 m, the cells are spread over two floors, as in the Koutloug Mourad Inak madrasa.

Located east of the Friday Mosque, the Abdullah Khan Madrasa was built in honour of the 17-year-old Khan, who died fighting the Turkmen, after a short reign of five months. The madrasa houses a Natural History Museum, and each of its cells is arranged around a theme: cotton, silk, fruit... The museum also presents a rich collection of stuffed animals, including birds and reptiles. Facing the madrasah, the Ak mosque, built in 1838, was built on foundations dating back to the middle of the 17th century.

Built in 1851, during the reign of Khan Mohammed Amin, it was one of the largest madrasas in Central Asia, with a square courtyard of 38 m on each side for a building measuring a total of 72 m by 60 m. A construction in the image of the khan, Khiva's most illustrious ruler: he conquered Merv and imposed his law on the warring Tekke before dying beheaded in a battle on the Iranian border, leaving Khiva open to nomadic attacks for the next decades. To make way for the impressive building, part of the fortification walls had to be demolished. The one hundred and twenty-five cells on two levels housed two hundred and sixty students until 1924. The tympanums of the high portal and of the two storeys of cells on the façade are decorated with blue majolica motifs. The construction of the madrasa offered Soviet historians an illustration of the class struggle under the khans. Indeed, after two years of exhausting work, the workers, who, of course, received no money, revolted: most of them being peasants, they could no longer look after their fields and famine was looming. The revolt was suppressed the Khivian way: Matiakoub, the leader of the rebellion, was wrapped in a wet animal skin and buried alive under the foundations of the minaret. The recent history of the madrasah is not necessarily more cheerful, since the Soviets turned it into a prison in the 1930s and 1940s.

Built in 1726, it houses the Museum of Medicine dedicated to Avicenna and Al-Khorezmi. Above the entrance, an inscription states: "I accept death at the hands of slaves. "It was engraved after the death of Shirgazi Khan inside the madrasah. He had used Persian slaves and Russian prisoners to build this madrasa, promising them a freedom he never gave them. One day when he came to supervise the work, the overworked slaves stoned him to death with bricks.

The sacred spring of Nourata, according to legend, was discovered by Hazrat Ali, the son-in-law of Mohammed, who made the water gush out by planting his stick in the ground. The spring must have been known long before that time and its location at the foot of the Sogdian citadel may suggest that it was already venerated in pre-Islamic times. In the 10th century, a first mosque was built near the spring. The great Namazgoh Mosque was built on its foundations in the 16th century, with twenty-five domes supported by arches resting on solid pillars. This mosque went through a difficult period during the communist era when it was used as a granary. It is now reopened for worship. The courtyard facing it has been restored, perhaps with too much zeal: the century-old trees have been replaced by a paved courtyard surrounding a marble fountain. On one of its sides are exposed several engraved tombstones, one of which dates back to the Sogdian period.

Overhanging behind the basin is the tomb of the patron saint and founder of Nourata, Sheik Abdul Hassan Nouri, a Muslim missionary who came from Baghdad to Bukhara in the 8th century. Next to the basin, a deep well marks the holy spring. It is said that Karimov, the former President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, used to carry water from this holy spring. Pilgrims, on the other hand, come to drink it and bring back full bottles. In any case, thousands of very voracious carps attest to its purity.

A place of pilgrimage more for believers than for tourists. There is indeed a legend that claims that one of the wives of Ali, the prophet's son-in-law, was from this village, which would explain the presence of the symbolic tombs of his sons. A first mosque was built in 1246 to house the two long white tombs of Imam Hassan and Imam Hussein. It has been renovated in recent years, as has the small adjoining mosque.

The two madrasas Modar-i-Khan and Abdullah Khan are located to the southwest of the Bolo-Khauz Mosque. The smaller of the two, the Modar-i-Khan Madrasa, dedicated to the mother of Abdullah khan, was built in 1566, at the beginning of the Emir's reign. It is a madrasa of classical architecture, comprising a level of cells where the students lived and a mosque and a courtyard room, or darskhana, overlooking an inner courtyard. The same craftsmen and souvenir shops can be found there today as in other madrasas in Bukhara. The Abdullah Khan Madrasa dates back to 1588. Also built by Abdullah khan, but then at the height of its glory, its appearance exudes more power than its modest neighbour. The madrasa has a traditional layout, with a large courtyard surrounded by cells, but the architects have complicated the structure by increasing the number of cells at the corners of the buildings with courtyard rooms topped by a dome. The 'Abdullah's Lantern', located in the north wing, is an example of these architectural finds. This octahedral hall is surrounded by two-storey ogival galleries. The entrance to the madrasah can be closed, but it is possible to enter the madrasah by going around the left side. Unless the restorers have taken it over, you will be able to wander freely through this veritable labyrinth and discover the star-shaped decorations on the interior domes of the mosque and darskhana.

In the friendly village of Vabkent stands, overlooking the surrounding adobe roofs, the tapering silhouette of a 39 m high minaret, typical of Karakhanid architecture. It is only an optical illusion due to its slimness that makes it appear higher than the Kalon minaret of Bukhara, to which it nevertheless yields 4 meters. Vabkent is not necessarily worth a specific detour, but if you go to Gijduvan to visit the ceramic workshop, plan to make a small stop while taking a picture and take a few steps in the surrounding streets.

The tomb of the city's patron saint is one of the major pilgrimage sites in Uzbekistan but also shines throughout Central Asia. Baha-Al Din Naqchband, who lived from 1318 to 1389, is the founder of the Sufi order of Naqchbandi, the most widespread Sufi order in Central Asia. The ritual of the pilgrimage is imitated from that of Mecca around the Kaaba. Pilgrims must walk around the saint's grave several times, then kiss the tugh, the sacred pole that points to his grave. Then the pilgrim lays his head on a dark stone - the Stone of Desire, brought back from Mecca - embedded in one of the sides of the mazar. Baha-Al Din Naqchband is nicknamed "Balagardon", the one who repels evil. Many miracles were attributed to him; to those who asked him to perform one, he replied: "Here is an obvious miracle: I have sinned a lot and I am still alive. "The architectural complex consists of several buildings built between the 16th and 20th centuries. The mausoleum and khanaka are the oldest and were built in the 16th century by Obaydullâh khan of the Chaybanid dynasty. In 1917, the Abdulfis Khan Mosque was built near the mausoleum, and in 1860 the Muzafar Khan Mosque was added to the complex, forming a courtyard around the saint's tomb. In the 20th century, a basin and a domed building were added. Behind the khanaka, an old cemetery shelters the vaults of Abdullah Khan II and Abdul Aziz khan as well as of noble Bukharian families.

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.

Located just opposite the Bazar bazaar, this madrasas of the 114 th century bears the name of the gendre of Baha'i Al Din Naqchband and has pieces, that is to say the Koran counts surahs, making it one of the Largest in Central Asia. Renovation work had been initiated and stopped due to lack of resources. They may have taken over.

The island of the Prophet is unfortunately inaccessible to visitors and even to archaeologists. On this island in the middle of the Amu Darya, a mausoleum was erected in the th and th centuries, where the Prophet Zul Kifl was born, whose name is quoted in the Koran.

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.