Samarkand or the beauty of Uzbekistan
A BABY METROPOLIS WITH NORMAN FOSTER BUILDINGS
Astana , from its origins, has always been a practical city. Not surprisingly, in 1998 it was renamed from Akmola to Astana, which in Kazakh means: capital. Etymological details aside, this new city has been built with money from oil and gas and always with the aim of being the very modern image of the country . So much so that it even seems a large inanimate robot made from aluminum skyscrapers . It is true that among this mass appears the signature of Norman Foster , although the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation (a bland glass pyramid) and the Khan Shatyry center do not shine among its best buildings. pure megalomania.
Palace of Peace and Reconciliation by Norman Foster
THE FIRST COSMODROME IN THE WORLD
Since 1955, the facilities of Baikonur (near the city of Tyuratam) have been the origin of the greatest space adventures carried out by man. From here the mythical Sputnik departed just like the first man, Yuri gagarin , and the first woman, Valentina Tereshkova , who traveled beyond the stratosphere. Pure myths of the fight for space control in the middle of the Cold War.
It is still controlled by Russia, who lives for rent, and for this reason it is still active, although with less flash. Hence, it has gone from being a myth of espionage novels to being a kazakh tourist asset with tours that offer to see the launch of rockets and enjoy this spectacle of light, color and fire.
Mural of Baikonur, the world's first cosmodrome
THE GRAND CANYON ACROSS THE VOLGA
Leaving the city behind Almaty (cultural and historical capital of Kazakhstan) the land opens up forming the charyn canyon cliffs . Its reddish colors and spectacular shapes are reminiscent of the great geographical feature of Colorado, although there are fewer tourists and selfies here. That authenticity gives it a plus, as well as its imposing rocks that flank it with impressive formations such as the one known as 'Valley of castles'.
Amaty, the Kazakh Grand Canyon
ECCENTRIC MAUSOLEUM
All Central Asia is a natural and demographic desert inhabited, since always, by warring nomadic tribes. This has resulted in the absence of few cities with a past and in a very significant isolation between them. That's why in each old settlement had a unique aesthetic and architectural criterion, incomparable and somewhat extravagant. Hence, mausoleums of strange shapes, structures and volumes scattered throughout the plain remain standing.
That of Khoja Ahmad Yasavi stands out for having the largest dome in this great region. the of Badaja-Khatun , for its strange roof in the form of a striated pyramid. the of Aisha Bibi surprises with its terracotta panels with which it seems to want to camouflage itself while the Khoja Mashkhad amazes with its powerful towers in the middle of nowhere. Finally, the Hodja Nashron mausoleum is a monument that preserves the essence of Tajik culture.
Aisha-Bibi, eccentricity in the middle of nowhere
AN UNKNOWN HIMALAYAS
the mountain range of Tian Shan is the eastern natural border of Central Asia as well as an ideal destination for the most intrepid adventurers. Their inhospitable character added to its high mountains (the highest exceed 7,000 meters of altitude) make it an uninhabited and brutal place, with mountainous and leafy landscapes that make one forget about the dust of the desert.
A 'Himalaya' between Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and China
THE SILK ROAD
It is one of the great trade routes of mankind and a kind of dream for today's inveterate travelers. Not in vain, crosses from China to Istanbul , although its great oases where economic and cultural exchange proliferated extend through the current Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. Many of these enclaves continue to have commercial rattle and the law of exchange continues to reign in their bazaars. Enclaves such as the market of osh , the caravanserai Tash Rabat, the step of Torugart , the bazaar of Marghilan or the fertile valley of Fergana they are live demonstrations that the great route continues to bubble.
Torugart, one of the steps of the Silk Road
THE ROADS OF THE OTHER ROOF OF THE WORLD
The Pamir mountain range dominates Tajikistan and, together with Tibet, was considered one of the roofs of the world in Victorian times. That same noucentista sensation is obtained today when facing a walk among its clouds along some of the most vertiginous roads on the planet . Lacking the nose and experience to climb it, she always manages to dominate it from the wheel while she enjoys the radical landscapes that open up behind each mountain.
The Pamir mountain range and its impossible roads
JUST...SAMARKAND
Just to stand in the Registan Square and turn around to enjoy the spectacular madrasahs is already worth a pilgrimage. It is the nerve center of samarkand , one of the most fascinating cities on the planet. It is true that Soviet power made routine and the city ugly, but its monuments remain intact and retain the ability to amaze anyone. To the Registan itself we must add the preciousness of the Bibi Khanum mosque , the necropolis Shah-i-Zinda, the mausoleum Gur-e-Amir or the amazing observatory of Ulugh Beg.
THE OTHER SAMARKANDAS
But Uzbekistan's ability to create beautiful cities does not end with the jewel of the Silk Road. Throughout the desert south of the country other enclaves appear that invite you to stay with a dazzling heritage.
Shakhrisabz it is the green city, the home of Tamerlane (founder of the Timurid dynasty, responsible for the great cities of the Silk Road) and a serious 'rival' of Samarkand. Between its gigantic buildings shines the aksaray palace and its walls full of mosaics or the exotic mosque of Kok Gumbaz , a simply impressive blue cathedral.
The historic center of Bukhara It is a non-stop of monuments and boasts of the Tajik-Persian culture . To this must be added the fact of being the second most important pilgrimage center in the Muslim world after Mecca . The result is a labyrinth of pious alleys where essential places such as the complex Po-i-Kalan, the mausoleum of Ismail Samani , the delicate madrasah of Divan-Beghi, or the Ark, the impressive fortress that preserves everything from the threats of the plain.
And then there's Khiva, the amazing walled city in the middle of nowhere where its doors herald a full-fledged trip to the past. Its Itchan Kala (historic quarter) meets expectations thanks to its motley plant of alleys where a life is still lived in an authentic and folkloric way.
Bukhara Mosque
ASHHABAD AND THE MOST BIZARRE EGOMANY
Turkmenistan could be compared to Pyongyang in at least one thing, the egomania imposed by Saparmyrat Nyyazow, the president of the republic between 1986 and 2005. Its capital is built, after many earthquakes, with money from gas, hence it is a modern city with a highly questionable aesthetics pushed by Nyyazow. To the soulless progress shown by its marble government buildings, we must add the cult of the tacky character of Saparmyrat, who ordered the erection of a gold statue with his figure, as well as different pristine and horrific monumental structures that give Ashgabat a very bizarre and kitsch touch.
THE KARAKUM CRATER
This desert is characterized by its black sand and by having a curious human-geographic accident in its heart. This is the Darzava crater , a huge hole in the ground where the fire never goes out. The fault lies with the Soviets, who caused this sinkhole in a gas exploration that was erratic in its forms but effective in the end. In fact, it is the gas that causes that hole to be always burning , drawing the attention of travelers who cross this desert.
The gates of hell in Karakum
THE THOUSAND AND ONE NIGHTS...TRUE
You have to get close to merv , even if it is to breathe the embers of his old glory. Currently it is a city without much grace surrounded by the ruins of what was the great oasis of the Silk Road. However, its importance can be seen in its archaeological park, where the remains survive as sand castles kissed by the tide. Pure mud, but full of history since in Merv they place the emblematic stories of the Thousand and One Nights . The 1002nd evening can still be enjoyed under its stars and its charm.
OH, AND A RESOLVED DOUBT
Yes, these countries rhyme and end in -stán because, basically, 'stán', in Persian, means land. Therefore, Uzbekistan is the land of the Uzbeks, Kazakhstan of the Kazakhs and so on respectively.
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merv