April 9, 2021 · 1 min read
Uzbekistan is one of those countries which have a long history of serving as a melting pot where various cultures came, settled, grew, originated, and proposed. Comprising of 12 provinces and one autonomous republic, Uzbekistan is one of the weighty countries in Central Asia culturally, historically, politically, and economically.
The doubly landlocked country of Uzbekistan which is located in the heart of Central Asia was first inhabited by Turkic nomads. After the opening of the Silk Road route that facilitated trade from East to West and in some ways instrumental in shaping Uzbekistan, cities like Bukhara, Samarkand became important governmental, educational centers and trading hubs. This attracted the attention of various rulers, merchants, nomads, and religious preachers from different parts of the world which include the likes of Alexander The Great and Genghis Khan. But probably the most influential groupsof settlers that had a profound effect on culture of Uzbekistan as we know it today were the Arab invaders. They help spread Islam in this region which is currently the main religion followed in Uzbekistan. Amir Timur especially, who is considered the founding father of Uzbekistan, had a major role in shaping its culture and building various monuments like mosques and madrasahs which help keep the culture afloat. Lately the Soviet Union also had a lasting impact on Uzbek culture who conquered Central Asia and governed them under USSR before diving them into smaller ones.
The capital city of Uzbekistan which is diverse in its structural offerings which range from cosmopolitan buildings to old world monuments, it is equally diverse in cultural and ethnical aspect. Touring the city, you shouldn't be surprised if you see people hailing from different racial background which may not be limited only to Russians, Tajiks, Kazakhs, Turks, Koreans, Uyghurs, Tatars, or Armenians.
Ideally located in the iconic Silk Road route, the city was a significant trade, scholarship, religious, and cultural center where various ethnic groups came together and exchanged ideas and beliefs. It is a now a city museum where there are close to 140 architectural monuments meticulously preserved.
Samarkand which is often referred to as "The Crossroad of Cultures," had a long history of serving as an important interconnecting place of major trade route that facilitated trade. At some point in time in history, Samarkand was the greatest cities in Central Asia. This city is also highly regarded for its scholarly activities where there are numerous madrasahs and museums.
The frontier town of Termez where you can find numerous Buddhist monumentsis the firm evidence of the influence of Buddhist culture on Uzbekistan. The two Buddhist monasteries of Kara-Tepe and Fayaz-Tepe are main point of interest in this city. Located along the bank of Amu Darya River, from 9th to 12th Century, it was an important cultural center popular for shopping and crafts.
Located just 80Km from Samarkand, it is among the Central Asia's most ancient cities. It was a cultural and political center of the Kesh Region during the 14th and 15th Century. Previously a part of Timurid Empire, this city is filled with marvelous ancient monuments which boast of bold design and impressive turquoise domes.
In this multi-ethnic country, people irrespective of their racial background take utmost pride of who they are and very patriotic towards their current home country, Uzbekistan. A cultural trip to Uzbekistan will surely be an eye opening experience especially if you're coming single-ethnic country.
