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The Great Silk Road

In ancient days important caravan routes from China to Europe crossed through Uzbekistan, and so several large cities grew up, such as Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent, and so on. In the middle Ages, instead of going to China and the east by sea, as they do today, traders made long journey of many months overland, and the routes they went by had lovely names, such as the Great Silk Road or the Golden Road. The poet Flicker wrote a poem about the “Golden Road to Samarkand”. The cities along these routes became rich. But there were wild times, and Mongols invaded the country, destroyed the cities and killed the people.

Amir Temur made Samarkand his capital and rebuilt many great market places, or bazaars, mosques, and gardens. When he died, he was buried in Samarkand. Amir Temur’s tomb is still there, and people now go to Samarkand to visit it.

The “Great Silk Road” has existed for more than 14 centuries and runs through the heart of Uzbekistan. This country has always had an advantageous geographical location on the ancient trade routes connecting the cities of China to the Mediterranean ports of Tyre and Sidon. Long trips aimed to get acquainted with the life of other nations and to buy goods not available in domestic markets promoted the development of international tourism in Uzbekistan from the fifth century until today. There were more than 700 caravan routes lying in Uzbekistan, making possible commercial and tourist trips to all parts of Asia.