Samarkand from Sogdian: "Stone Fort" or "Rock Town" is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Samarqand Province

• Historical cities of Uzbekistan

• SAMARKAND

Samarkand from Sogdian: "Stone Fort" or "Rock Town") is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Samarqand Province

• Samarkand from Sogdian: "Stone Fort" or "Rock Town") is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan and the capital of Samarqand Province

• The city is most noted for its central position on the Silk Road between China and the West, and for being an Islamic centre for scholarly study.

In the 14th century, it became the capital of the empire of Timur (Tamerlane), and is the site of his mausoleum

• In the 14th century, it became the capital of the empire of Timur (Tamerlane), and is the site of his mausoleum
• (the Gur-e Amir). The Bibi-Khanym Mosque remains one of the city's most notable landmarks.

• The Registan was the ancient centre of the city.

• In 2001, UNESCO added the city to its World Heritage List as Samarkand – Crossroads of Cultures.

• Bukhara

• Bukhara is one of the most ancient cities of Uzbekistan, situated on a sacred hill, the place where sacrifices were made by fire-worshippers in springtime. This city was mentioned in a holy book "Avesto".

• Bukhara city is supposed to be founded in the 13th c.B.C. during reign of Siyavushids who came to power 980 years before Alexander the Great. The name of Bukhara originates from the word "vihara" which means "monastery" in Sanskrit. The city was once a large commercial center on the Great Silk Road.

• Bukhara with more than 140 architectural monuments is a "town museum" dating back to the Middle Ages. 2,300 years later, ensembles like the Poi-Kalon, Kos Madras, Ismail Samani Mausoleum and the Kalian Minaret are attracting a lot of attention. The city consists of narrow streets, green parks and gardens, historical and architectural monuments belong to the different epochs, but locate very close to each other.

• Bukhara

• Khiva is a city from a fairy-tale. The capital of the Khiva Khanate in the 17th century, it still retained the exotic flavour of a medical Oriental town in the old part of the city - Ichan-Kala, where all monuments of architecture are located.

• Khiva

• Among them are the Kunya-Ark citadel, the Tash-Khauli Palace, and the fortified hill - Akshish-bobo, which is the best place to glance over the whole city.
• Today Khiva is a museum-city. There are no tall buildings and wide streets here. It is very hard to enumerate all the historic sites in Khiva. There are palaces decorated with colourful mosaics, the adobe houses, and many medressehs, minarets and mosques in Khiva, such as the tall and beautiful Islam-Hoja minaret.

Khiva has always been famous for its wood-carving. Doors and columns of palaces are covered by very beautiful patterns.

• Khiva has always been famous for its wood-carving. Doors and columns of palaces are covered by very beautiful patterns.

• The museum devoted to this monument can become one of the most attractive objects of tourism of the world historical and cultural significance
• An open-air museum, ancient Khiva is waiting for you!