Introduction to Uzbek architecture and art

(Wednesday): Flight to Tashkent . On this day, you will have a flight from your home city to Tashkent and arrive in the capital in the morning of the next day.

(Thursday): Tashkent. Arrival in Tashkent in the early morning, meeting with the guide and transfer to the hotel (early check-in included). Today you will have a sightseeing tour of Tashkent - the capital of Uzbekistan and the largest city in Central Asia.

The Old City is the historical northwestern part of Tashkent. Here we will visit:

- Khast-Imam complex (16th-21st centuries) - the famous Koran of Caliph Osman (VII century) is stored here. In the complex you can visit the Barak Khan Madrassah, the Tilla Sheikh Mosque, the Kaffal Shashi

- Mausoleum and the Islamic Institute named after Imam Al-Bukhari.

- "Chorsu" bazaar - one of the oldest bazaars in Tashkent that counts more than one hundred years old.

- The Rakhimovs' workshop - a unique piece of paradise in the old city where the approach to the design process and the products themselves is completely different. There are no typical ceramics here and each bowl is a masterpiece.

- Abdulkasym Madrassah (19th century) - one of the most interesting historical buildings in Tashkent. Folk legends say that the "first stone" of this building was put at the beginning of the 19th century. There is a Center for National Applied Arts here. Everyone can visit the work of famous Uzbek craftsmen.

- Amir Temur Square – there are Amir Temur Museum, the famous Tashkent Chimes, the hotel "Uzbekistan", the buildings of the Law Institute and the Palace of Forums - one of the most grandiose architectural structures in Tashkent around it.

- Independence Square where the most beautiful fountains of the city are located. Today, this place is used for holiday celebrations such as the Independence Day of Uzbekistan (September 1st).

Overnight at the hotel.

(Friday): Tashkent - Bukhara (high-speed train Afrosiyob 08:00 - 11:45). Bukhara is a city from an oriental fairy tale. It attracts tourists from all over the world. There are about 300 mosques and 80 madrasahs in the city. Today you will visit:

-The Ark Citadel - an ancient symbol of state power. It seems that this huge fortress has been standing in the center of Bukhara since the very creation of the world protecting and supporting Bukhara rulers.

- The BoloKhauz Mosque (18th century) with a luxurious painted multi-column aivan which is reflected in the waters of the Khauz along with the minaret.

- The LyabiHauz Ensemble - one of the central squares of Bukhara where the Kukeldash madrasah, Nadir Divan-Begi madrasah and khanaka are located.

- Mausoleum of Ismail Samani which is famous for being the most ancient monument of Islamic architecture in the whole Central Asia.

- The architectural complex Poi-Kalon - the main ensemble in the center of Bukhara which is located at the intersection of the “four bazaars” trade routes. It includes 4 elements: the Kalyan mosque with the Miri-Arab madrasah facing each other, and between them there are Kalyan minaret, and the Amir-Alimkhan madrasah.

- Chor Minor Mosque which means "four minarets" - one of the most unusual monuments of Ancient Bukhara.

Free time in the evening. Overnight at the hotel.

(Saturday): Bukhara. Bukhara is one of the oldest cities in Uzbekistan. It is famous for its architectural monuments, folk craftsmen, artisans and their works. We will visit an oriental spice shop. You can feel the aroma at a great distance from the shop itself. In front of the owner a whole palette of colors is scattered - large and small bags with various spices: zira, turmeric, cardamom, cilantro, saffron, caraway seeds, red and black hot peppers, sesame seeds, dried tomatoes and paprika, sweet peas, cloves , barberry, sets of specially selected spices for the kings of the kitchen and many others.

Next, we will visit the Blacksmith's Workshop, which is not just a workshop but a real museum. Fixtures and tools used by the masters of the past are collected here, and in the very center of the workshop there is a large furnace which is used for working with metal.

We will visit the workshop of embroiderers who master the oldest oriental art - the famous Bukhara gold embroidery. Men are engaged in such sewing with gold and silver threads. We will also visit the museum-workshop of Bukhara papier-mâché dolls - an almost forgotten art of making traditional Bukhara dolls-toys. Right from the doorstep you will find yourself in the magical atmosphere of oriental fairy tales. After an excursion you can buy the dolls you like.

After the workshops, we will visit the carpet factory. Carpets from Uzbekistan are considered to be ones of the best, and the traditions of carpet weaving in Uzbekistan date back more than a century. Carpets are woven from goat and sheep wool, and unique silk carpets are also made here. Over the time their colors don’t fade. It takes about a year to make one carpet but there are works of art that have been worked on for more than a dozen years.

A visit to the "Karakul leader" fur factory will be the final one for today. Here you will get to know about the process of tailoring an astrakhan outerwear. You can also purchase high-quality products with a modern design from astrakhan in different colors and shades.

Overnight at the hotel.

(Sunday): Bukhara - Gijduvan - Samarkand (300 km). After breakfast you will leave for Samarkand via Gijduvan. In the morning we will make an excursion to the summer residence of the Emir of Bukhara Sitorai Mokhi-Khosa (1912-1918). This palace combines European and Oriental architectural styles. The best Bukhara masters of that time and two Russian engineers Sakovich and Margulis participated in its construction. The construction was supervised by the architect Khoja Khafiz who studied the construction of country residences in Russia.

After the excursion you will drive further to Samarkand via Gijduvan. In Gijduvan we will visit the famous Narzullaev family of potters. You can listen to a fascinating lecture on the process of making Gijduvan ceramics and even take part in a master class.

Upon arrival in Samarkand, accommodation will be at the hotel. In the evening you will have free time to walk around an evening city.

(Monday): Samarkand – flight home. Samarkand was once the capital of the Great Empire of Tamerlane. Today we are going to see:

The Shakhi-Zinda necropolis - one of the most mysterious and unique architectural monuments of Samarkand. The oldest buildings of the ensemble date back to the 11th-12th centuries. However, most of the buildings date back to the 14th-15th centuries.

The Gur-Emir Mausoleum - a one-domed building with a crypt where Amir Temur, his sons and grandsons are buried. The basis of the mausoleum is an octahedron with a ribbed dome which is the pride and decorations of the mausoleum.

We will continue our tour and go to the very heart of the city, where we will visit: Registan Square - one of the most beautiful squares in the world called the pearl of Central Asia. It gained this fame thanks to the unique monuments of medieval oriental architecture surrounding it from three sides in the form of a beautiful architectural ensemble: the Ulugbek madrasah (1417-1420), the Sher-Dor madrasah (1619-1636) and the Tillya-Kari madrasah (1646-1647). All three madrasahs face the center of the square with portals and create a harmonious composition. However, each building is distinguished by its unique decor - a pattern of filigree stone carving.

The Bibi-Khanum Mosque is the largest mosque in Central Asia covered by many legends. The majestic blue domes make an extraordinary sight. The view of this monumental structure is breathtaking and striking in its beauty. In ancient times its dome was compared with the vault of heaven and the arch of the portal - with the Milky Way.

In the evening you will be transferred to Samarkand International Airport for evening flight to your home city. End of the program.

** Changes are possible in the schedule of international flights and intercity rail services