SHRINES IN UZBEKISTAN TheBBC calls Uzbekistan “Land of a thousand shrines“. Islam arrived in Central Asia with the Arabs in the 8th century. It was missionaries, saints, and poets who popularised the faith amongst the people of Uzbekistan, however, and the places where they performed miracles or are buried are often marked with shrines. As places of pilgrimage in Uzbekistan these shrines are still considered as holy sites, but respectful tourists can visit them, too.
The most important shrine in Uzbekistan is probably the Mausoleum of Imam Bukhari in Samarkand Region. Imam Bukhari collected the Hadiths (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad), and Muslims still come here from around the world to pay their respects. Followers of the Naqshbandi order of Sufis come on pilgrimage to the Memorial Complex of Sheikh Bahauddin Naqshband in Bukhara. Those tourists with an interest in Ziyarah tourism (pilgrimage) may also want to visit the Zangiota Complex in Tashkent Region, Nurata Chashma in Navoi Region, and the shrine of Saint Khodzar Chinar in Urgut, Samarkand Region. Not all of Uzbekistan’s shrines are Islamic shrines, however. The Saint David’s Cave and the Tomb of Prophet Daniel in Samarkand, and the Ayub Chashma (Job’s spring) in Bukhara are sacred to Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike. MEDIEVAL MONUMENTS IN UZBEKISTAN Many of the most spectacular medieval monuments in Uzbekistan are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These include the Historic Centre of Bukhara, Historic Centre of Shakhrisabz, Samarkand: Crossroad of Cultures, and the Itchan Qala in Khiva.
There are medieval monuments all across Uzbekistan, though. You may also be interested to visit the Kosim Sheikh Mausoleum and Mir Sayid Bakrom Mausoleum in Navoi, the Hazrati Imam Ensemble in Tashkent, the Al Hakim Termezi Complex and Sultan Saodat Complex in Termez, and the Sheikh Mukhtor-Vali Complex in Khorezm Region.
PALACES IN UZBEKISTAN There were ancient palaces in Uzbekistan at Afrosiab, Varakhsha, and in the Khorezm Fortresses, but time has reduced them to archeological sites. Later palaces in Uzbekistan survive, thankfully, and when you visit them you have a chance to see how royalty in Uzbekistan lived.
The Palace of Khudayar Khan is known as the Pearl of Kokand. 80 master craftsmen and 16,000 workmen built a palace covering four acres, with more than 100 rooms. The palace was finished in 1871, just five years before the Khanate of Kokand was abolished. 19 rooms of the palace survive and are open to the public.
In Bukhara, the Sitorai Mokhi Khosa (Palace of Moon-like Stars) was the emir’s summer palace. It was built by Alim Khan, the last emir, in a fusion of Uzbek and Russian styles. With its mirrors, chandeliers, Chinese porcelains, and oriental carpets, this palace is the epitome of decadence, and it gives a poignant insight into the final days of the Emirate of Bukhara, before the Red Army swept it away.
Khiva has spectacular palaces, too, both inside and outside the Itchan Qala. Tash Khauli (Stone Palace) is within the UNESCO walled city and has fantastic tiles and painted ceilings. You should also visit the recently restored Nurillabay Palace, which was inspired by Muhammad Rakhimkhan II’s visit to Saint Petersburg. The cost of construction nearby bankrupted the state!