Uzbekistan officially known as Republic of Uzbekistan is one of the most eye-catching and fascinating countries in Central Asia having its borders with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. The country having literacy rate around 99.9% with Uzbek as the official language.
This beautiful country is famous worldwide because of its vast history, silk roads, cultural heritage, traditions and a lot more; but the most highlighting reason for its fame is that this honorable place has given birth to five honorable leading figures who influenced the planet earth during the Islamic Golden Age. These five honorable personalities include Muhammad Al-Biruni, Al-Khwarizmi, Avicenna (Ibn-e-Sina), Al-Bukhari, Al-Tirmidhi.
Uzbekistan has so much to offer to its visitors that the journey of exploration is almost unending once you begin to explore them.
SAMARKAND:
Samarkand is one of the oldest cities ever in Central Asia. There is a saying that this city was found back in 7th century BC. The historical Silk Road between China and Mediterranean Sea turned out to be a Crossroad of Cultures over the centuries.
When you enter the city, you will find the glimpse of ancient conquerors and dynasties.
This great city was once conquered by The Alexander The Great, later on, conquered by Genghis Khan and followed by the Islamic Golden Age and much more. As a tourist, you can explore multiple cultures, historical traditions and diverse architecture all together at the same time. This historical heritage is also included World Heritage Site of UNESCO.
BUKHARA:
Bukhara, a well-preserved city recognized by UNESCO, is yet another fascinating place to visit in Uzbekistan. When you look at the Tomb of Ismail Somoni, it reminds you those 7centuries (10th century-16th century) when Bukhara was the largest Islamic educational center for studying Sufism and other subjects.
This place had hundreds of Mosques and Madrasas (Educational Centers). This city gave birth to the Historical Scholar Avicenna (Ibn-e-Sina) and he spent early years of his life here. Even today, Bukhara has around 140 architectural monuments.
When you explore the city more, you will find more and the unending journey of exploration continues.
According to the author Gulirukh Tashmetova from Kazakhstan
KHIVA:
Khiva is one of the most intact Silk Road cities in the world. The city has more than 50 monuments that makes it a classic historical place and a must visit place at least once in your life. When you enter the city, you will feel that you have entered a historical city centuries back.
It feels like an open-air museum especially when you have a look from the Islam Khoja Minaret or The City Walls. You can sight 250 households along with 50 monuments and a breath taking view.
This is the place that carries the honor of giving birth to the great scholar “Al-Khwarizmi”, the father of Algebra who introduced algorithms to the world. Khiva is also listed in UNESCO World Heritage Site.
When you are visiting Khiva for the first time, remember that all the historical attractions inside Itchan kala (inner city) including Museums, Mosques and Minaret are open between 8am to 6pm.
It is highly recommended to hire a guide while exploring the city in order to get the better knowledge of this fascinating city.
FAMOUS UZBEK CUISINE:
PLOV (Osh):
Plove (osh) or sometimes also known as Palov is considered as main highlighting dish which is typically prepared with rice, meat pieces, grated carrots and onions.
SAMSA:
Samsa is yet another eye catching Uzbek dish. Samsa is a crispy pastry in a triangular shape filled with minced lamb, chicken or beef along with onions, and scented spices, baked to perfection. When you visit Uzbekistan, you should try this delicious traditional dish.
HALVA:
Halva is a famous type of sweet in many parts of Asian and Arabic countries. The word “Halva” literally means “sweet”. Halva in Uzbekistan is found in various varieties, from simple to complicated recipes but all of them are mouthwatering and will amaze you once you taste them.
Note: We are thankful to the following for guide in our research.
Great information….. So much inspiring to read. I loved the article…
I’m really impressed by your work… Keep it up! Sea of knowledge just in few words…
A very interesting read. I was transported to Uzbekistan 🇺🇿 😊👏👏👏 beautiful little piece of writing indeed! Good job Nabeel 🎊🎉👍👏
Great work…
Excellent article… Really it was a pleasure reading your articles… I am your regular follower..
I almost reached centuries back in the city of Bukhara and samarkand
Great article loved it
Uzbekistan, an unending beauty of monuments, historical personalities, legends and endless exploration….