The pearl of the East that you have to discover
History of Uzbekistan dates back to the 2 millennium BC and is more than 3.5 thousand years old . Some of the cities of Uzbekistan , Samarkand , Bukhara , Khiva , Shakhrisabz , the contemporaries of Rome and Babylon , and are centers of civilizations of the Great Silk Road . The Great Silk Road is one of the most significant cultural and socio-economic phenomena of the world history . These cities which were the most important hubs of the Silk Road and the ancient culture , developed science , education , crafts and art , trade , palaces , temples and mosques were being built as early as in the Middle Ages . All of these ancient civilizations and cultures that emerged and developed in the area , turned Uzbekistan into one of the centers of world tourism . Today , the country has more than 7,000 ancient archaeological sites from different eras and civilizations . The country ranks 9th in the number of historical monuments and attractions . Tourists visit Uzbekistan to see with their own eyes ancient cities of the country and its historical monuments . Especially having seen Samarkand , tourists are amazed by the historical significance and beauty of the country . The city with nearly two thousand years history attracts the attention of travelers , tourists and visitors for its magnificent architectural monuments , its blue domes , unique oriental appearance and zest . Samarkand entered the top 50 cities in the world by the US rating agency Huffington Post , which must be visited . More than 20 of the most beautiful monuments of Samarkand are recognized as the greatest achievements of the world culture : the Registan , « Gur- Emir » Mausoleum , « Bibi Khanum » Palace , Ensemble « Shakhi Zinda », and the historical center of the city were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List ( 2001 ). Samarkand is the home of the largest observatory of the Middle Ages – « Ulugbek » ( 1428 ), which houses the grand marble sextant to measure the coordinates of the sun , moon and other planets . Not only the cities-objects of the UNESCO World Heritage attract thousands and thousands of visitors . Every Uzbek city gives hundreds of reasons to visit it . Such cities as Tashkent , Kokand , Andijan , Shakhrisabz are an endless modern oriental fairy tale . Bukhara ( included in the UNESCO World Heritage List - 1993 ) has for centuries fascinated the entire world . Many unique ancient monuments are being preserved in the Holy Bukhara . Architectural structures of the city are well maintained and considered treasures of universal significance . Bukhara is the home of the world-famous architectural monuments such as the Mausoleum of Ismail Samani , Ark Fortress , Kalyan Minaret and mosque , Ulugbek Madrassa , Ensemble « Labi-Hauz », and « Chor Minor » Mosque . Khiva ( included in the UNESCO World Heritage List - 1990 ) is one of the few cities in the world , where historical buildings have maintained their original appearance . In fact , the city is an open-air museum , which is at least 2,500 years old . The inner part of the city – « Ichan-Kala », is a historical monument of the world significance , which hosts well arranged palaces , mosques , mausoleums , and minarets . Most of the architectural monuments of Khiva ’ s « Ichan- Kala » date late XVIII - early XIX centuries . But excavations on its territory showed that there are even more ancient layers beneath belonging to the 3rd and even earlier centuries BC . A significant role in the cultural and spiritual life of Uzbekistan is played by the cities , pearls of Islamic culture , such as Shakhrisabz and Kokand . Shakhrisabz is the birthplace of the great commander Amir Temur and the state dynasty , and the second capital of his vast empire . The attention of tourists and architectural monuments of the city : Palace Tamerlane Ak-Saray , the Tomb of Dorus Siadat , Kok-Gumbaz , the complex of mausoleums Gumbez-Seyidan . In 2000 , the historic center of Shakhrisabz was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List .
32