Sights
of Uzbekistan

The sights of Uzbekistan are surprisingly diverse. This Central Asian country is best known for the ancient cities of the Silk Road that have survived to this day. In Tashkent, Bukhara, Khiva, Termez, Samarkand, Margilan, Karshi, and Shakhrisabz, there are many historical and architectural monuments that can charm even the most seasoned travelers. Uzbekistan is ready to open up from an unexpected side for those who have never been here and know almost nothing about this warm, soulful country for those who have never been here and know almost nothing about this warm, soulful country.

For good reason, the ancient cities of Uzbekistan (Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva) are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and for good reason. Registan Square in Samarkand, Bukhara Fortress Ark, and Khiva Ichan-Kala still remember the majestic tread of the caravans of the Great Silk Road. Towering minarets, elaborately decorated madrassas, and mausoleums of world rulers predominate among the sights of Uzbekistan. Lesser-known but no less significant sites include Buddhist stupas in Termez, desert fortresses in Khorezm and petroglyphs scattered throughout the country. If you are going on a trip and planning what to see in Uzbekistan, our list is for you.

Be sure to take the time to visit museums: the museum. Savitsky in Nukus, the Kokand Museum of Local Lore, the Afrosiab Museum in Samarkand, the Fayzulla Khodzhayev House Museum in Bukhara, the Museum of steam locomotives in Tashkent. There are dozens of them - choose according to your interests.

The natural attractions of Uzbekistan are also very diverse: in winter you can do skiing here, in spring you can go on an eco-tour through the desert riding camels, in summer you can swim in a mountain lake or paraglide in the Chimgan Mountains, and in autumn you can walk among the Martian landscapes along the bottom of the shrinking Aral Sea and look at the cemetery of ships in Muynak. Lakes, waterfalls, canyons, mountain peaks, nature reserves, national natural parks in the Tien Shan and Hissar-Alai mountains, the Kyzylkum and Karakum deserts — the natural wealth of Uzbekistan is really great.

The folk crafts of Uzbekistan are worthy of special mention: silk fabrics and carpets; bright ceramics and sharp knives; wood carving and metal stamping; lacquer miniatures and gold embroidery; famous suzane and ancient embroidery styles "basma" and "iroki"; paper making using ancient technology; and the construction of earthquake-resistant houses made of clay. Uzbek ikat, a fabric with a specific pattern, has become an object of UNESCO world cultural heritage and is widely used in world fashion by the world's leading fashion designers. Craftsmen, true craftsmen who pass on the secrets of the craft from generation to generation, can be found in any corner of Uzbekistan.

Uzbek cuisine, by the dictates of fate, turned out to be at the crossroads of the culinary preferences of civilizations and skillfully absorbed all the best for many centuries, so without it, a conversation about the sights of Uzbekistan is simply impossible. Pilaf, tortillas, sweets—the list of Uzbek dishes is infinitely delicious. And besides, there is a specialization in dishes: there are pilaf centers, there are lagmannye, shish kebabs, and samsysh ones in the distance. There are many teahouses in every city. Quails sing in every teahouse, huge yellow honey-sweet melons cool in the cool waters of the ditches, and peaches, pomegranates, and transparent grapes ripen in the gardens.