Uzbekistan - is a land of integrated cultural history and great contrasts, where ancient cities of the world including Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva are situated. These cities are contemporaries of Rome, Athens, and Babylon. Republic of Uzbekistan lies in the heart of Central Asia, it is in the territory known since ancient times as Bactria, Movarounakhr and later on as Turkestan. Its territory to the north-west lies in the Turan low land, and the Tien-Shan range and Pamir-Alay to the south-east. Kyzylkum desert is to the north. The Republic borders on Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzia and Tadjikistan, as well. The climate of Uzbekistan is sharply continental with many sunny days. The winter is short and not so cold. The average temperature in January is -10 to + 3°C. The summer is hot and dry. The average temperature in July is +30 to +40°C. The autumn is rather warm with plenty of vegetables and fruits at bazaars (markets).

The Great Silk Road is famous ancient city caravan trade route starting and finishing on opposite sides of the globe: one on the coast of China in the Pacific Ocean and the other- in Rome in the Mediterranean. The cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva served as major centres of trade and education on the crossroads of the Qreat Silk Road linking civilizations of the East and West. Silk production development is a historic phenomenon of the world civilization. China is the birthplace of silk production and silk handicrafts. For a long time China was the only silk-production country in the world and silk fabric was as precious as gold.
China is the birthplace of silk production and silk handicrafts. For a long time China was the only silk-production country in the world and silk fabric was as precious as gold.

Tashkent, a capital of Republic of the Uzbekistan, is argest city in Central Asia.
Modern Tashkent is a beautiful oriental city with its unique architecture, hospitable and friendly people.
Tashkent is more than 2000 years old. First information about Tashkent (earlier known as Shash, Chach, Binkent) dates back to the 2nd c.B.C. Archaeological excavations have revealed that present-day Tashkent was the site of an ancient town which has continued to exist as a developed commercial and cultural centre of the East. Here the eastern and western traditions and customs have merged into a single whole and the unique monuments of Kukeldash and Barak- Khan medrassah (16c) have been preserved to this day had a favourable location on the Qreat Silk Road.

Samarkand is situated in Zeravshan Valley and is surrounded by the spurs of Pamir-Alay mountain ranges. Samarkand is the second largest city of Uzbekistan and is of the same age as Babylon, Athens, Rome-more than 2500 years old. Ancient Arab manuscripts refer to it as the «Qem of the East».
In the 4th с. ВС it was the cultural and commercial centre of the East. Then it was named as Marakanda.
End of the 4th c.-beginning of the 3rd c.B.C. - the invasion of Alexander's army.
328 B.C. - The rebellion of citizens against Alexander. The city was destroyed.
4th-3rd c.c. B.C - Battleground between the state of the Selikvids and the Parphians.
1st c. B.C. -1st c. A.D. - Commerce and culture flowerishing. Kushan tsars reign.
3rd c. - Arab conquest of the city.
7th-8th cc, - Samarkand was the heart of Sogdiana.

Bukhara is one of the Uzbekistan's most ancient cities, situated on a sacred hill, a place where sacrifices were made by fire-worshippers in spring. This city was mentioned in the holy book of "Avesto". The name of Bukhara originates from the word "vihara" which means "monastery" in Sanskrit. In the course of centuries the city was named as: Numiykat, Madina-us-Sufiya, Madinal-ut-Tudjar, and Fahira. The city is supposed to have been founded in the 13th c. B.C. during the reign of the Siyavushids who came to power 980 years before Alexander the Qreat.
4th c. B.C. - Alexander the Qreat's conquest.
8th c. A.D. - Bukhara was conquered by Kuteib-ibn-Muslim (Arabian army). The city became cultural, religious and philosophical center.
9th c. - Bukhara was the capital of Samanids Empire.
892-907 - King Ismail Samani's period of reign.
961-976 - Amir Mansur-ibn-Nukh's period of reign. Bukhara became a centre of writers, scientists, artists. The flourishing epoch of architecture for Bukhara was during the reign of the Samanids.
999 - Bukhara was captured by the Karakhanid ruler Nasr.

The history of Horazm is antique that only a few civilizations could be compared with it. Many hundred years before the Qreat Silk Road appeared ancient Horazm was linked with Europe and the East with Siberia and southern civilizations. It is a cradle of the three civilizations fully formed in Uzbekistan. The world civilizations here merged: Black Sea side, Crete-Mycenae (Hellene), Mohendjodaro (Nothern India, Nothern Afghanistan, South-Eastern Iran) and China. Mutual penetration of these cultures followed after opening of the Qreat Silk Road. Before the 6th c.
B.C. - Kelteminar, Tazabagyab, Suyurghan and Mirabad epochs were existing simultaneously or replacing each other.
6th c. B.C. - Khorazm defeated by Akheminids (Iran).
6th c. B.C.- Khorazm written language arose. It originates from the Arashey written language.
Khorazm is supposed to be the birthplace of Zaroastrizm.