Uzbekistan’s Lasting Heritage – Luxury Travel Blog

Since all the talk suddenly seemed to be pointing towards Uzbekistan, I decided it was time to take the road there – or rather the train. I found this to be a country with interesting traditions and a lasting legacy.

My rail journey took me through four cities on the ancient Silk Road. I started my journey in Khiva, arriving on a cold, sunny day in November. My nose was pressed against the window as we passed through the different landscapes of dual land-locked Uzbekistan on our way from Urgench Airport to Khiva. From acres and acres of huge orchards to arid landscapes of semi-desert. As we passed through the gates of Ichan Qala, the medieval citadel in the center of Khiva, I saw its majestic architecture for the first time and I couldn’t wait to explore it. But first came breakfast and my first experience of the halls of an ancient madrasa, the restaurant of the Eastern Star Hotel where I was staying.

Next, we have to check in at the hotel. Eastern Star Hotel is located within the walls of Ichan Qala, housed in the 19th century Mukhamed Aminkhan madrasa. This building once housed the largest Islamic school in the city. The madrasah is an educational building that can accommodate up to 250 students. The student rooms have now been converted into 60 small rooms with private bathrooms. These rooms surround a large courtyard. I can imagine students gathering there to study. It was an interesting experience as the original architecture has been preserved. Once I got my luggage to my room, I was free to wander around and was soon among the city’s majestic architecture, admiring the exquisite facades covered in stunning tiles.

Tiles and hats from Khiva, Uzbekistan

Tile making is a tradition that dates back thousands of years, and the most enduring examples can be seen in Uzbekistan. Especially Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand in Uzbekistan. In these cities, the spiers, domes and facades of world-famous religious buildings are inlaid with vivid blue and green ceramics. The innovative designs were created by skilled potters who were captured and brought to Persia between the tenth and twelfth centuries. Competition grew fierce and glaze recipes were rarely recorded and remained secret until UNESCO-funded experts restored the religious building in the early 20th century, unraveling some of the mysteries. Today, Uzbekistan is home to seven UNESCO sites and protects several cultural heritage sites.

When I first walked through Khiva, it didn’t take long to discover that a whole host of hats—beanies, furry hats, hats with earflaps—were great options. I couldn’t resist trying on a cute, fuzzy blue hat that added about six inches to my diminutive frame. I thought these hats were made for tourists, but looking around I realized there must be a hat tradition as the locals wore different versions of the hats. The national headdress of Uzbekistan is the skullcap known as the “doppa” or “tubeteika”. Men, women and children wear it, but not older women – who seem to prefer headscarves. When worn on special occasions, they are usually black with white embroidery, but simpler versions are used for everyday wear. They can be square or conical, with each region having its own version. Today they are less common in big cities but are worn on special occasions. For warmth, Uzbeks also like Chugurma, which is usually made from sheepskin or wool, but as I discovered, there are also some cheeky furry versions out there that I felt compelled to try.

Embroidery and puppets in Bukhara, Uzbekistan

During our stay in Bukhara, a visit to an embroidery workshop was on the agenda. It was fascinating to watch the girls at work, turning cushion covers and other items into works of art. Since ancient times, Kashtaqi craftswomen have won hearts with their artistic embroidery. It is an important part of Uzbek culture and reflects the way of life and love for all things here. Traditionally, colorful silk threads are used to sew intricate patterns on cotton materials to create items for girls’ trousseaus or for home interior decoration. In recent years, it has become increasingly important in fashion and design. At the end of the eighteenth century, schools of artistic embroidery began to appear, and by the beginning of the nineteenth century they were established in six cities, including Bukhara. Today, this fine art remains part of the country’s culture. It’s hard to resist buying my Uzbekistan souvenirs here – after all, I need some new cushion covers, don’t I? I found some beautiful complementary designs on gray cotton material. After some polite haggling, the deal was done. The very convincing salesperson did point out several times that the thread was polyester and not silk, however, since I had already decided on these specific colors, I wasn’t going to change my mind.

Silk embroidery workshop in Bukhara, Uzbekistan

The Bukhara itinerary also includes a puppet making workshop. Watching him create papier-mâché heads on sticks was a mesmerizing experience. He then dressed them in beautiful hand-sewn traditional clothing. As he gave us a brief demonstration, the puppets really came alive. Puppetry is also a long-standing tradition in Uzbekistan, dating back to the first century AD, when it was very popular. They were banned when Islam conquered the region, but were restored in the ninth century when Bukhara was designated the region’s capital. During Soviet times, puppet theaters were subsidized. By the beginning of the twentieth century, all puppeteers in Bukhara lived in the same neighborhood, and skills and improvised stories were passed down from father to son. When funding ended, the puppet shows all but disappeared, not necessarily because of a lack of support, but probably because they were so disruptive. Since then, there has been an artistic renaissance and Uzbekistan has ten state-owned theaters. There are some performances in English in Bukhara.

Hydraulic crafts and bread making in Samarkand, Uzbekistan

There is a new tourism project on the outskirts of the Silk Road city of Samarkand – Konigil Tourist Village. This reconstructed village replicates typical Uzbek village life. Various installations located on the backside of the ancient Siab Canal illustrate how water power was the basis for the manufacture of some traditional products. Our visit started in a ceramics workshop. Here waterwheels on the canal were used to power the drums that moved the clay. I asked the group to consider some possible purchases and then continued walking along the path next to the canal. I stopped in front of a workshop where four wooden axes were pounding the bark of mulberry trees into pulp. I found this out by talking to people who work there. They went through this process, a medieval method of making traditional Samarkand silk paper. The process begins with stripping the bark from the branches, washing it, soaking it, and then crushing it to make paper. This paper is then used to create original gifts and souvenirs. I could have tried it myself but decided to continue exploring other areas of the village. I visited other facilities during my pleasant stroll along the canal, including a functioning flour mill.

Our lunch spot that day was with a family who lived in the countryside outside of Samarkand. This was my second chance to taste homemade bread baked fresh from the tandoor and I was already savoring the idea of ​​it. The first is a visit to a dilapidated fortress in a yurt that once protected caravans traveling along the Silk Road. Bread holds a special place in Uzbek culture, with dozens of varieties available, each province having its own taste and design. Some are round, some are flower-shaped, and some have a design printed on the center that may include the baker’s phone number. A staple food in Uzbekistan for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Always tear it open with your hands and share it with others. The most popular variety is flatbread cooked in a tandoor. While having lunch with an Uzbek family, we watched the owners make dough from simple ingredients, flour, yeast, salt and water. The flat round dough is then patted onto the inner walls of the tandoor and baked. It’s served with plov, which can loosely be described as a meat stew. There are many varieties of this popular dish, but it usually contains fresh lamb or beef, yellow or red carrots, onions and vegetable oil, and is served with rice. Traditionally, Uzbek plov is cooked in a deep cast iron pot (Kazan), which heats evenly and the dish does not burn. Both tandoor bread and plov are protected by UNESCO.

My trip to Uzbekistan exceeded all expectations. The creativity and artistry of traditional craftsmanship is fascinating and unforgettable – especially that wonderful bread. The smell lingers.

Valerie Collins

Valery Collins is a travel writer from South West England. Her passion for travel encompasses everything from luxury travel to stylish ski goggles. A keen photographer, Valery uses her own photographs to illustrate her writing and social media posts.