Things to see and do Central Asia

In the modern part of the city. It is impossible to miss the huge arrow of the Monument to the Deaths of the Second World War and the victims of fascism, erected in 1987. It presents austere exterior frescoes and imposing stained glass windows, where a flame burns permanently under the 120 t and 134 m high metal arrow. Uzbekistan is proud to have the third largest monument to the world's dead, following those of Russia (in Volgograd) and Canada. The monument is flanked by a small museum (200 hospitals entrance) featuring photographs of all the veterans of the region, and the names of the victims. A hall is dedicated to the Uzbek parties to wage war in Afghanistan under the Soviet banner.

The mosque Kok Kumbaz, built at the end of the th century outside the current town of Karchi by Abdullah Khan II, served for major offices: Ramadan, the pilgrimage to Mecca. The dome, which peaked at 32 m, and the original gate 28 m high were destroyed by the Russians in 1886, and the mosque was closed by the Soviets between 1933 and 1922, during which it served as a warehouse. In 1968, the dome and portal were rebuilt, and the Samarkand workers were involved in the design of 1982. Some last improvements were made in 1996, for 660 years of the birth of Timur. Today is a Friday mosque which regularly hosts the great Muslim celebrations, such as the Hadjj, the great pilgrimage to Mecca last November.

The mausoleum of Sheikh Burhaniddin Sagarji, said Rukhobod or «residence of the spirit», was built in 1380 by Timur, to host 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 a octagonal drum on which a conical dome is 22 m high. Important dimensions that recall the timurid origin of the building. It is said that a wick of the Prophet's hair was buried with the remains of the holy man. His tomb lies almost at the centre of the mausoleum, next to that of the Sheikh's wife, Bibi Khalfa. On his death, in China, his body was mummified and brought back to Samarkand with camel back, also buried in the mausoleum, under pavés. Pavés are designer by the nails of the architect, who signa his work. The other ten graves were the children of Sheikh Burhaniddin Sagarji, eight boys and two girls. The tombs of the latter two recognize their keen shape and are embellished with surahs of the Koran. The East door is of origin, and still bears in Arabic the favorite sentence of Timur: " Allah is the only God and Mohammed is his prophet. At the beginning of the s, at the foot of the mausoleum, it was one of the most pleasant restaurants in the city; According to the neighbours, the owner and his family fell ill, victims of a curse, for having made trade in a holy place. The restaurant has thus disappeared but the curse has not prevented merchants of souvenirs from investing the cells of the restored khanaka in 1996. The minaret of the th century has also been restored. Its architecture is a reflection of the portal of entrée. Just behind, the splendid traditional house with iwan, with colonnades and painted woodwork, is that of Khodja Muin Shukurullaev (1883-1942).

Formerly lost in a small narrow streets, the Gour Emir (or tomb of the sovereign), the mausoleum of Timur, is now facing the rue du Registan. A large esplanade was released, recreating the original plan and the "royal lane" paved with white slabs which, in the fourteenth century, connected the Gour Emir to the mausoleum of Sheik Burhanaddin, says Rukhobod. The disintegration of the USSR brought the young republic of Uzbekistan into a new era, but deprived it of its ideals and of its official «hero», Lenin, a hero who was culturally and historically alien but omnipresent. This ideological vacuum allowed the «renaissance» of Timur, whose existence had been carefully disguised in shadow for seventy years. An historic, cultural and political recognition that gives this victorious, bloodthirsty warrior the very first place in the pantheon of the new Uzbekistan. His mausoleum has thus become one of the top spots in the country, a symbol of the greatness and power of the Uzbek nation. In the image of another great conqueror, Genghis Khan, Tamerlane wanted to be soberly buried: " Just a stone and my name over ", he said, and his tomb was prepared in a crypt in his hometown of Shahrisabz. But history decided otherwise. In 1401, Muhamad Sultan, a favourite grandson of Timur and her designated successor, built a four-minarets architectural ensemble composed of an inner courtyard bordered by four iwan, which gave a madrasas to the east and a khanaka to the west. Madrasas was devoted to the education of the sons of noble families destined to work in the administration, a timurid version of the ENA. In the khanaka, residence of the dervishes, there was also a dome mosque. Today, only the traces of the foundations testify to these constructions, but one can admire the portal still richly decorated on which is inscribed in Persian: " Built by the little slave Mohamed, son of Mahmoud, Isfahan, and facing him, part of the wall of the iwan closing the inner courtyard on the south side and behind which the Gour Emir stands. When, in 1403, Muhamad Sultan, still young, died in a campaign in Persia, Timur made this mausoleum, the most beautiful one, for the one in whom he had seen his successor. When the first dome was completed, Timur found him too small, destroyed it and ordered the construction of a new dome, larger, which was completed in less than two weeks. Ruy Gonzales de Clavijo tells how the workers worked day and night, and described Tamerlane, sick and litière, who came in person twice monitoring the work. In February 1405, Timur died in turn and his body, fragrant musk and camphor, was temporarily and secretly buried in the khanaka beside her grandson. It was only four years later, when the succession struggles were settled, that the remains of the royal people joined their present residence in the crypt crypt. On that occasion, the spiritual master of Timur, Sheikh Mir-Said-Bereke, was buried. Timur is resting on his feet as he wished. Legend claims that, during the first few years, following his burial, the sovereign was heard every night from his royal tomb, until all the scientists, astronomers, architects and artisans, who had been forcibly brought to Samarkand by his conquests, returned home. When all these prisoners were released, the emperor finally found the rest. Subsequently, other Timourids came to join him, including two sons from Timur, Shakhrukh and Miranshakh, as well as his grandson Oulough Begh. He also brought changes to the architectural ensemble. He added a gallery to the mausoleum, and began to build another mausoleum, which only remains ruins, and a crypt that can be seen behind the Gour Emir. It was also Oulough Begh who brought Mongolia back to the bloc block, which covered Timur's tomb, and that caused the burial slabs of a barrier marble barrier to surround. Like all the constructions of Timur, the Gour Emir is grandiose. The volumes, simple, are of imposing size. The outer dome is 32 m high and a 3 m high Sufi inscription surrounds its base: it reads: «Allah is the only God and Mohammed is his prophet». On this drum is a stretched dome, 12,50 m high and 15 m in diameter, fully covered with blue ice bricks that sixty-four ribs interspersed with yellow and blue diamond appear to stretch towards the sky. The interior of the mausoleum is even more sumptuous: first of all, the translucent green of the onyx walls, once fortified with gold and lazurite decorations, higher of the blue and gold coraniques inscriptions which populate the room, finally the cupola that geometric gold decorations on soft blue background make "like the sky", according to the words of the historian Cheref-ad Din. In the centre, seven funerary tiles, including that of Mir-Said-Bereke, the spiritual master of Timur, where a pole is attached to a horse, indicating the tomb of a saint. At his feet, the funeral slab of Timur, in nephritis, is covered with numerous inscriptions listing the ancestors of "the Emir of Iron". This detailed genealogy underscores her kinship with Genghis Khan and goes back to a certain Bouzanjir, son of the virtuous Alavanka and a ray of light. The tombstone is split in its middle: it is, however, Nadir Shah who, during his campaigns in the th century, wanted to prevail in Persia and the crack believing that she had the riches of Timur. The other graves are those of Muhamad Sultan, grandson of Timur, Oulough Begh, son, Shah Rukh and Miranshah, two other sons of Timur. The real graves are in a closed crypt for tourists. If there are not too many people at the time of the visit, it is possible to ask the guardian, with a slight tip, to open the door that leads there. In the crypt, Timur's funeral slab is also broken.

In the courtyard on the right of the entrance, Kok Tash is a stone block about 3 m long and 1,50 m wide on which the throne of Timur rested. The custom wanted it to be on this stone, with magical powers, that the leaders of Bukhara were crowned. " Fallen from heaven, she would not have left a false episode or a khan khan approaching her, "says Eugène Schuyler.

The town of Samarkand would be by underground. One of them would leave from the Gour Emir and drive to Registan. During Ramadan or shortly before Navrouz, a few mullahs go into procession across the city underground. Dressed in white and sandals, they illuminate candles and, of course, refuse to allow tourists to accompany them.

Open every day except Saturday and Sunday from 14 am to 18 pm. Dilya can find accommodation solutions in Samarkand as well as French-language guides and drivers. The local antenna of the Tashkent Cultural Centre also organizes round tables and exhibitions. You can consult the French press and meet with Uzbek students.

Lake Aydar Kul was created following a spill from the Chardara reservoir in Kazakhstan in the 1970 s. Today it would contain more water than the Aral Sea, and its level continues to climb. Its waters are very fish-intensive and there are many migratory birds. A small yurts camp is located near Yangikashgan, 22 km from the lake, in a desert area populated by some Kazakhs herders. This is a very good starting point for a camel-back ride. The sandy dunes dotted with bushes are populated by a very diverse fauna, wild goats, wolf, sousliks, kebab… and also varans whose average length reaches one metre; in general, they avoid humans. The large varans, whose size exceeds that of a man, are much more dangerous, but they only meet in the remotest areas of the mountains. They can move over 50 km/h and shake their victim with a stroke. Also careful with scorpions hiding under stones or in damp places in the shade of the sun, very poisonous spiders, and some cobras. The ideal time to get there is not the month of July where the temperature is more than 45 °. Go, preferably in autumn or spring, you may have the chance to see the desert in bloom. The short season of tulips and poppies takes place just after spring rains, in March or April.

The tour operators in Tashkent can be contacted to organise the circuit or the B & B Komil in Bukhara, which offers three-day tours. It is also possible to go directly to Yangikashgan to negotiate with the owners who manage the yurts camp, but the rates are high.

This artisan embodies the 6 ^th generation of ceramists of his family and organized his house around the workshop, the oven, an "showroom" and of course a shop. His work is recognized throughout Uzbekistan and protegé by UNESCO. This dynasty of artisans works effectivemen according to a unique ancestral technique. You can admire the products in the small «branch» opened in Bukhara on the left between the bazaar of the chapeliers and that of joailliers. After you have discovered the working techniques, you will have access to the shop and all the beautiful products from the furnaces. Take advantage of the visit to admire the techniques of manufacture of the suzanis, these large traditional embroidered panels, produced by the master craftsman Moustabchira Barakaeva and coloured by the wife of Abdullo, Mavliouda Narzullaev, who uses natural colors such as fruit, roots, bark…. Note that three small rooms do a B & B office if you want to stay a little longer in Samanids, and stay off the beaten tracks ($ 50 per double room).

In the village of Vabkent stands the glittering silhouette of a 39 m high minaret, typical of the karakhanaïde architecture. This is only an optical illusion due to its slimming which appears to be higher than Kalon minaret in Bukhara, to which it gives 4 m.

Varaksha's limoneuses hills hide one of the largest sogdian cities in the region. Founded in the first century BC, it was the residence of Des-Khudat, the hephtalites kings that reigned after the fall of the Kouchan empire. The city then exceeded that of Bukhara, and when the Arab conquerors seized, they killed King Soukan and destroyed his palace, then they firent Bouniat, a military leader who tried a rebellion. The city lost its political power but until the th century it remained an important economic centre. Archaeological excavations have shown that, on the eve of the Mongolian attacks, raba spans a radius of 2 km around the citadel. The city was then famous for its market in Navrouz that lasted twenty days. But Varaksha did not have the luck of Bukhara and, after the Mongols destroyed its irrigation system, étiola and quickly transformed into a ghost town. Excavations allowed to discover frescoes that decorate the palace of the th century. This is a hunting scene, where the prince, mounted on a white elephant, gets attacked by two huge leopards. The faces are erased, signs of the damage caused by Muslim warriors. The fresco is exhibited at the Historic Museum in Tashkent.

It was difficult to visit this small museum in the heart of the village of Afshana or was born in 980 Ibn Sinna, known in the West as July, and considered to be the father of modern medicine. From Bukhara station, take a shared taxi to Afshana (there is no regular bus) and then negotiate another taxi to the museum. Since 1980, and the millennium celebration of July's birth, nothing had changed in this small museum. At the initiative of the July-France Association, it was renovated, integrated into a college of medicine, and the exhibition enriched many pieces making the museum more attractive.

The large lobby features a July bust. In the centre of the exhibition room was built a piece centred on a cenotaph containing a little land of Hamdan, where Ibn Battuta died in 1037. The different niches in the room evoke the illustrious men who inspired July's work: Galien, Hippocrates, Aristotle… We also discover three fac from Canon from Medicine, July's master medical work. The second part of the exhibition illustrates the various medical techniques at the time and an interesting explanation of the techniques used to reconstruct the Visage face by Soviet scholars.

You must then take over the space dedicated to the unavoidable President Islam Karimov and the inevitable opening photos. The July-France Association and its dynamic president Marc De presented a Museum project to the Ministry of Culture in Uzbekistan in November 2007, at the 1 030 ^th anniversary ceremonies of July's Birth.

The Azrat Khussan Ata ensemble is one of those lost sites whose particular tranquillity is characteristic of monuments ignored by tourist circuits. In the middle of a cemetery, this complex of mausoleums and mosques linked by small passages was built between the th and th centuries. At its origin we find the wise Azrat Khussan Ata who died there. Born in the city of Turkestan (currently in Kazakhstan), in the ninth century according to the imam of the mosque, to the eleventh according to Soviet researchers, he would have been to Mecca and would have returned here, in Poudina, teaching the Koran near an old tree near a basin he would have built. It is also here that, a few centuries later, it would come to the attention of Baha Al Din Naqchband, the founder of the Sufi order in Central Asia, whose mausoleum is located a few kilometres from Bukhara. Around the tomb of Khussan Ata, votive tissue and a horse tail testify to his high degree of wisdom. The main mausoleum houses the remains of the holy man and his daughter. The other three, still according to the imam, include those of the brother of Khussan Ata and his sons, and that of the second brother and his wife, finally that of the first brother's daughters. On the side of the Soviet researchers, it is believed that they are the noble graves of the region. Whatever version we subscribe to, this site impresses with its character over time and by the different aspects of its architecture that covers ten centuries. Moreover, the crossing of the village of Poudina and the reception of old enturbannés imams alone would suffice to justify displacement.

Built at the beginning of the last century, in 1915, this mosque, also closed after the attacks in New York and Washington and transformed into a college, stands out by its immense dome surmounted by the growing Islam. With a diameter of just over 14 m, this dome is among the largest in Central Asia.

By taking over Uichinskaïa street, turn right just before the canal. 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 the Rue street, take the second street on the right after madrasas. This is the old rue des makers, leading to a mausoleum dating back to the th century where only men are allowed to enter. A mosque and an accompanying madrasas welcome Muslims for prayer.

Restored in 1992, this madrasas was founded in 1910 by a rich cotton tycoon from Namangan. The portal and minarets have been entirely restored and decorated with ceramics. Inside, a small courtyard planted with huge trees is surrounded by 35 cells that could accommodate nearly 150 students. At the right of the entrance, a little in height, a iwan with finely decorated woodwork dominates the whole.

Starting from the promenade in Namangan, Babur Park replaced the old gardens of the Governor, created in 1884. Named later Pushkin, he housed a statue of Lenin, disappeared after independence, when the Uzbeks reinvested the place to install their tchaïkhana and give him the name of the last emperor Timurid, Babur. Its shady lanes of canals and basins also houses the square of Independence, where official celebrations take place.

Built after independence on the site of a 6 000 th century mosque, the Khonakah Mosque can accommodate up to 12 faithful for Friday's great prayer between 13 a. m. and p. m. At the entrance, the two minarets peak at 26 m. Non-Muslims can enter and admire the woodwork and paintings that adorn the mosque, but will be gently lifted during prayer.

Uvaysiy, of his real name Jahon Otin, was a woman of letters and poet born in Marguilan at the end of the th century. His talent, noticed by the Khan's wife of Kokand, least him to be housed in the palace where she enseignât the letters to the Khan girls. Despite many requests, the Khan still refusât her to leave her hometown, where he secretly built for her, at the location of her house, a new home to the same as she lived in her palace. It was only at the death of the Khan that Uvaysiy could join his home where she finît her days by dedicating herself to writing poems. His descendants destroyed his house in 1968 to build a modern residence, again razed in 2006 to build a rebuilding of the orignale house, which houses some books and photographs of descendants. The only witness at the time is a pluriséculaire mulberry sitting between the entrance and the iwan of the facade. The grave of Uvaysiy lies at the back of the house. To get there, ask a taxi to drive you to the «Gastronom» supermarket, one block away.

Opened in 2007 after a solid renovation, the old Akhunbabaev Museum is now dedicated to the history of Marguilan. He has at least the merit of exiting the traditional patterns with stuffed animals and three photos dressed in duel. Organized in four halls, the exhibition presents the first traces of prehistoric housing before illustrating the history of the kingdom of Davan and the "golden age" of Marguilan, corresponding obviously to the period of Soviet occupation. There you will see a silk weaving machine, as well as traditional costumes, costumes and ceramics in the region. The last room presents the evolution of Marguilan since independence.

Next to the stadium. Navoi Park is a crowding of manèges and small fountains with brackish water, which can only be hard to reach a feeling of freshness. At the end of the park, a huge amphitheatre, built in 1999, with a scene mounted on a basin, hosts major events, especially the celebration of Navrouz, the spring celebration on March 21. There is a glass in the wings of a huge falcon that was laid there in 1963.

Devoted to the often ignored face of the founder of the Mughal Empire, the emperor and poet, this museum does not offer any particularly interesting room. On the other hand, it is situated in a madrasas built in the th century on the very site of the royal residence of Babur.

The Bazar bazaar is known as one of the largest and most animated in the region, especially on Sundays, and even more when the melon season beats its full. In this very traditional bazaar, you can cross the femmes of the parandja, who have returned to some surrounding villages. If the centre of the bazaar seems rather classical, it is by bypassing the Rue street that you discover its picturesque face. The street is bordered by craftsmen who produce and hone tools or manufacture the traditional Ouzbeks berceaux, all in an extraordinary hubbub. The textile side, located across the street, offers a much more modern face. According to the trend of recent years in Uzbekistan, a modern metal structure has been built, divided into dozens of numbered stalls where traders hold their shop with an almost bewildering order…

On two floors, classic presentation of the history and specialities of Andijan. On the first floor: stuffed animals, fruit, seismic measuring apparatus, drilling equipment… The second floor proves to be a little more interesting, with some archaeological parts from various sites in the vicinity: Kurgan Tepa, Erchi, Khuva… At the bottom of the room, a model in 3 D and a painting-the eye presents the city of Andijan in the th and th centuries: its huge walls and its monumental entrance. Finally, a piece is devoted to local crafts and one to the Daewoo factory, located in Asaka, south of Andijan.

This huge complex comprising a madrasas and a mosque, capable of welcoming 10 000 worshippers, was built between 1885 and 1892 by a rich inhabitant of Andijan. The Madrasas Jumi was largely destroyed during the earthquake of 1902, and rebuilt on the same pattern: two domes, a facade of 123 m long and 122 cells. She underwent renovation work between 1970 and 1975, before being transformed into a Literary Museum in 1995. Inside, you can access the roofs and the two domes, which offer an unobstructed view of the nearby Jumi mosque and its minaret. As in the other cities of the Ferghana Valley, the mosque was closed following the attacks of 11 September 2001, and remains separated from la by an inner wall.

The Babur memorial was built in 1993, where, according to legend, the last timurid sovereign would have returned to contemplate his city before leaving for Afghanistan. On the walls, a fresco illustrates the great events of Babur's life, since his accession to the throne, at the age of 12, until his death in 1530 through his exile in Afghanistan and the creation of his empire in India. The museum also houses a model and a fragment of the tomb of the poet Alisher Navoi, located in Afghanistan. Just above the museum, a symbolic tomb was erected in memory of the sovereign. Babur was originally buried in Agra, India, before his grave moved to Kabul, Afghanistan. Symbolic burial contains a little land of the true tomb of Babur, and has become a place of pilgrimage. Finally, a cable car leads to the top of the hill, to a small landscaped park overlooking the valley.

A th and th century regional objects exhibition, numerous reconstructions from the prehistoric era to cotton culture, some inescapable animals stuffed, a three-dimensional map of the Ferghana Valley… The most interesting pieces are old black and white photos of Soviet conquest and the Révolte uprising. On the second floor, a room is devoted to crafts, especially Céramique ceramics.

The old gardens of the governor have been renovated in the municipal park and the Mustakillik Avenue is located on the pedestrian street. This is where the big stores, the banks and the post office are located. The park is an area where you can breathe surprisingly well, almost forgetting that you are in the country's second industrial city. It is frequent to see the passage of wedding convoys, taking photographs before the gigantic statue of Al Ferghani.

The entire mausoleums gathered around that of Saoddat, or «invincible», was built between the th and th centuries. A central walkway, originally 200 m long, leads to the portal of the lavishly complex decorated with blue ceramics with geometric motifs. Left, a mosque; on the right, in a crypt, lies the tomb of the Emir Hussein, the fifth descendant of the Prophet. Today, there are approximately metres of the original aisle bordered by the main buildings. By a fly of stairs we come to the roof of the right-hand mausoleum, which allows to contemplate the whole of a height, and to note the remains of the old tombs as well as some graves at the place where once the largest necropolis in Central Asia.

The vast façade of the land and its 2,5 m thick walls have given rise to one of the most beautiful legends of Termez. In the 40 pieces on the two floors of this building were murdered by the troops of Genghis Khan the 40 women of Termez's Khan who résistèrent gloriously to the invader when he attacked the children. In reality, according to archaeologists, it would simply be a building built by the rich so that they could get refuge in the strong sand storms, frequent in the region. The building was originally closed by the roof. Fine windows opened on both floors, and the result of a clever calculation, the rays of the sun could reach the centre of the building at some hours of the day. Today, it is rather a playground for kids who go out of school, but a short walk in the venerable corridors will allow you to convince you of the impact of the legend: in the hallway facing the entrance at its left end, a votif tree proves that it is still alive. In the current state of the building, it is difficult to appreciate the complexity of its architecture, but it will be a better idea by comparing it with the model of the Archaeological Museum of Termez. A part of the walls has indeed been restored, but the interior instead evokes a field of ruins s on themselves a little more each year. A renovation program is envisaged, but no date is determined at the moment.

A few kilometers from the mausoleum always on the same road. Open every day 8 h -18 h, 2 800 hospitals entry, 2 000 hospitals cameras, 4 000 hospitals cameras., Fayaz Tepe, a th century Buddhist complex, includes a stupa, temple and monastery. Its renovation was completed in 2004 with the support of UNESCO. The stupa is now sheltered by a dome, and it can only be seen through a window. The small neighbouring museum welcomes the search results and attempts to trace the history of Buddhism in the Termez region. Here you can admire the reproductions of numerous frescoes and statues discovered on the sites and whose originals are exhibited in Tashkent.

The road leading to the mausoleum crosses walls, last remains of the shahristan, the citadel of the ancient Termez. The complex consists of the mausoleum itself, a mosque and a khanaka. The mausoleum, dating back to the th century and still of some original walls, houses the tomb of Al Halkim Al Termezi, a learned astronomer and Sufi master born in the th or th centuries. He was awarded 32 books and an exceptional longevity of 120 years. The tomb was built at his death in the th century, the decorations were made in the following centuries. A few meters from the grave, a mirhab dug in the wall allows the faithful to come pray. The place became an asset of pilgrimage, especially on Wednesday, during which imams read continuously for visitors of verses of the Koran.

This stupa is what remains of a Buddhist complex erected in the vicinity of Termez in the st century. The original height of this tower of brick, where Buddhist monks came to table their offerings, is not known. Today, its 16 m high dominates a vast range of cotton fields and desert fields. The Soviet ruins were transferred to Russia.

Termez Cathedral was built by the Russians in 1896 and preserved its original architecture due to lack of renovation. The outside looks a bit dilapidated, but there is always the world here to welcome the visitor (except on Mondays). Inside, many notable icons and mouldings under the wooden frame.

Probably one of Uzbekistan's most beautiful museums, opened in April 2003 with the help of many partner countries, primarily France and Japan. In several well delineated and intelligent spaces, the various historical periods have been presented, from the origins of the region to the Chaybanides by Buddhism and Timur. Models of different monuments sometimes give a better overview of sites than ruins of ruins, rather frustrating, unless accompanied by an archaeologist. Films projected in English in each room are also a very good source of information not only on the history of the region, but also on past or ongoing archaeological missions. The first nine rooms bring together over 50 000 archaeological discoveries in the region. Among the most recent remarkable pieces, note the beautiful statue of Greco-bactrienne women dressed in flames. The tenth room is actually a safe: it contains many pieces of Turkmen and Turkmen coins and jewellery, or gold or silver agfhans from the Greco-bactrienne era until the th s. Deu small buttons of gold, found on the clothes of a child skeleton discovered at Fayaz Tepa and dated from the VIIIe n. B.I. have established that the site was inhabited well. before the fourth N.B.B. as it was assumed until then. The museum director, Ismoïl Temirovitch, is very available to tell stories and provide explanations.

The construction of the last Khan palace of Kokand lasted 11 years, from 1863 to 1873. It mobilisat as many as 16 000 workers and 80 craftsmen from Rishtan, Samarkand and other cities in the country. Five years later, the Russians destroyed the most. The building presented a large,-door breakthrough, named after the cities to which they led. Today you can reach the palace through a dallée path which climbs up to a monumental portal flanked by two fine turrets. The long facade of the building is entirely decorated with blue, yellow, orange and green glazed bricks, which owe a great deal to restaurateurs. The majoliques of the left wing were made by craftsmen from Namangan and Andijan, those on the right, who knew a new restoration at the time of our investigation by craftsmen from Kokand. All of the inner courtyards were also in work and the ambitine renovation program rebuilding the harem. Everything should be finished within four years. Meanwhile, the muséographiques parties remain open to the public. Originally, the palace had 7 courses and 114 pieces, or as many surahs as the Koran. There are now only 4 courses and 19 pieces, most of them transformed into museums. The visit usually begins by the left wing of the palace, where the former Khan reception room was located. It is decorated from the ground to the ceiling in the traditional Uzbek style. A model of the palace allows to see the harem (the khan had 43 women) that was destroyed during the Soviet takeover of Kokand. Admire the quality of the decorations. Most of the paintings are original. In the upper right you will notice a darker space: the original colours are not renewed. Guests contacted the reception room with a small room in the north, where the secretary of the Khan was located. The ensemble overlooks a sumptuous courtyard bordered by a magnificent th century iwan from a mosque built by Timur in Chakhimardan. On the east side, wooden poles supporting iwan are new. The original poles are exposed under the southern iwan, itself supported by columns of original wood. One can also dwell on the Charettes of Kokand and their oversized wheels, cord with the carriage of Mandalak, a rich German who came to stay in Kokand in the 19 th century. It was said that the khan appreciated that he was given the heads of his enemies and that they were smashed at the foot of one of the pillars of this iwan. Of these warlike customs, there are only two canons: the first, short and artistically wound, is a local production of the 1840 th century, the second, long and end, comes from China and was taken to the enemy during the war of against the Kashgar khanate. In the south-west corner of the courtyard, a small reception room hosted the secret Entretiens Khan talks. It is decorated with 114 different motifs, or as many pieces as the original palace. When it was transformed into a museum in 1925, various pieces were brought into this small piece, such as the 17 th Century Japanese and Chinese vases, or the Kaufman Chair. The other wings of the palace, particularly the one where European diplomats and dignitaries were received, were also turned into a museum. There are various archaeological discoveries from the valley, as well as interesting photographs of the construction of the Ferghana Canal or the search of the 47 tombs in the Pap village. Other spaces are devoted to weaponry at the time of timourids, but also exposes some rifles as well as two unusual French and Italian shields from the 1924 th century that were offered to the museum during an exhibition in. A second, then a third inner courtyard leads to the old mosque and other rooms decorated in traditional style. They are transformed into museums of history or crafts. One can see, among other things, a paper factory model and a reconstitution of a workshop as a jeweler. In the last room you can take a look at Khudaïar Khan's personal diary.

A souvenir shop is located in one of the pieces giving in the courtyard of the khan's sons. Iganbediev Abdousamat, head of the museum's history section, can help you visit traditional houses and stay in the living room. The museum director, Mansurova Manzurahon, can also help you if you are looking for accommodation.

The Friday mosque of Kokand, one of the most beautiful monuments of the city and the valley, has recently opened to visitors. Built by Omar Khan between 1809 and 1812, his style reprend the style of the mosques to iwan. 98 wooden pillars, a real forest, support a ceiling with painted woodwork of the valley. The total length of the iwan is 100 m. The pole wood, Du, was imported from India. In the middle of the courtyard, the minaret rises to 22 m. Until 2001, the Friday mosque was forbidden to non-Muslims. After the attacks of 11 September, three students suspected of feeding and propagating Wahhabi theses were arrested, then imprisoned, and the mosque closed. The mullah and his followers now pray to the Vendredi À.

This madrasas of 1833 was partially restored in 1992. On the left of the entrance, a superb iwan decorated with wood panelling and traditional paintings is worth the visit. Madrasas houses the foundation of Jamila Karimova, who welcomes disabled people to teach them traditional Uzbek embroidery. Jamila's dream is to find a French stylist who would agree to develop with her a collection combining Uzbek and French styles.

Dating back to the late th century, this madrasas was one of the few, with the Mir-i-Arab madrasas in Bukhara, to host students during the period of Soviet occupation. It is still home to 150 students. Here, the visit (negotiating the price at the entrance) makes it possible to familiarise oneself with the operation of madrasas and the life of teachers as well as students, unlike the madrasahs transformed into souvenir shops. Just behind, the cemetery of the/has two mausoleums, at the end of a small street behind madrasas; This is done by bypassing it by the right. The Modari Khan Mausoleum, built in 1825, houses the remains of the mother of Omar Khan. The monument is surmounted by a blue dome and its portal mimics, in miniature, that of Bibi Khanum mosque in Samarkand. The Dakhma-i-Chakhan mausoleum (or «the tomb of the kings»), which is more imposing and colorful (it was restored in 1970), combines styles that illustrate the artistic talents recognized by the three khanates of Uzbekistan: Uzs's woodwork, the Ferghana paintings and the ornaments of Bukhara. Beside the mausoleum lies the tombs of the khan, his sons and his brother.

The second floor of this huge building, located just steps from the very Soviet theatre, is dedicated to the poet and national hero Khamza. He exposes many of his manuscripts and photographs illustrating his life, from his earliest compositions to his last days in Chakhimardan passing through his trip to Mecca. Everything is written in Cyrillic, but the son of the Conservative, who has learned English for two years, is delighted to test his knowledge by accompanying tourists in their visit. In the middle of the historical photographs we will find a few posters in French, from the beginning of the century, presenting the tour of Uzbek theatre troops in France.

This was the site of Kasba, a sogdienne town whose name would come from Kassob, "the good craftsmen." It was known to be very good potters and made the best bricks. At the entrance to the necropolis dedicated to a local branch of the Sayyid dynasty is an impressive sardoba (water reservoir) whose immense vault is still preserved. The mausoleum of Seyd Amir Samsidin was built in the 1491 th century but the stone tombstone dates back to. The summer mosque and the dome mosque were built between the th and th centuries, as well as the minaret for which bricks from the former town of Kasba were used. At the right end of the site, a corrugated sheet construction protects some graves and two beautiful tombstones covered with inscriptions. The whole was restored in secret in the s by the head of the RaïKom, the local prefect, while the zone was forbidden and abandoned. Not far from Kasbi, in the village of Khodja Kharlik, you can also visit the mausoleum and Imam Mohamed Sadir Islam Kabristani mosque.