Around Dushanbe
Hissar
Building in the Hissar Valley
Abdullokhon Mosque – Isfara
Istaravshan
Hissar Historic and Cultural Reserve.
The Hissar Historic and Cultural Reserve is a unique museum, which is situated 30-km west of Dushanbe. The reserve was set up in 1982 by a special government decision and it occupies 86 ha in the picturesque Hissar Valley.
Architectural monuments which have been preserved since the 11-19th centuries give a general characteristics of the medieval town with its Registan square, an ancient fortress and a number of monumental constructions of cult, enlightenment and social-trading purposes. Thus, Registan is composed of two madrasahs Kuhna and Nav (16-17th centuries), the Hishtin caravanserai (18th century), and in the North there are a monumental gate and the Kalai Hisor fortress defensive wall. At a certain distance in the South there is a brick mausoleum of Mahdumi Azam (the 11-12th, 16th centuries) and still further to the South-east of Registan there is the Sangin cupola Mosque (11-12th, 15-16th centuries). Besides the above monuments, the medieval Hisor also included Chashmai Mohiyon madrasah, Machitit Odina tahorathona, a bath and other artefacts which are being studied at present from the archaeological point of view.
Tourists are attracted in Tajikistan by opportunities for alpine mountaineering, rock climbing, walking, fishing, or simply relaxing among dramatic mountains and lakes.
For alpine climbing, high level walking tours and Lakeland scenery the Fansky Gory (Fann mountains) in the North West of the country, just a couple of hours from both Penjikent and Dushanbe. This is a favourite place for trekking and climbing.
Isfara
Isfara is a town in the Soghd Region, northern Tajikistan.
In the 10th century, Isfara was an important point on the Great Silk Road. The Northern branch of Silk Road led from Samarkand via Khojand to Isfara, Kokand and continued further to Kashgar, India and Afghanistan across the mountains.
The cultural traditions of the Tajiks are best preserved in this part of the country.
The Khazrati Shoh Mausoleum located in Chorku village, near Isfara, dates from the 10th-11th centuries and represents open square colonnade. All the preserved parts of the colonnade are covered with ornamental carving. Odd-shaped columns figured consoles reminding of fantastic birds, images of snakes webbed into the ornament go back to the pre-Islamic art traditions.
There are also Abdullo Khon Mosque (the 19th century) and a modern mausoleum in the same complex.
Istaravshan
Istaravshan, one of the most ancient cities of Central Asia, is situated in the north of Tajikistan, 1045 meters above the sea level. In the course of history the city was known under different names such as Kiropol, Kurukada, Ustrushana, Uroteppa.
Persian shah Kurush (558-530 BC) founded this city and took it under his domain.
During Macedonian’s attack Kiropol was surrounded with strong walls and fortresses. Arabs called the city Ustrushana. In 7-15th centuries Istaravshan was one of the richest cities of the Middle Age, not only financially, but culturally as well.
On the territory of ancient historic city of Istaravshan there are over 150 historical and ethnographic monuments of culture.
The tradition of architectural decor that achieved the highest point of development in the epoch of Samanids can be seen in the progress of improving in later on epochs, e.g. in the monuments of the 15-16th centuries. Among these monuments can be mentioned the architectural structure the Mausoleum-Ensemble Sary-Mazor (16th century) consisting of the two-portal mausoleum, the mosque and a building for the unknown purpose. The mosque Bobo Tago (16th century), the mausoleum Hudoiora Valiami (17-18th centuries), the mosque-mausoleum Hazroti Shoh are noted for their wonderful refined decoration of their interiors.
Among other architectural monuments are Chilhujra (5-7th centuries), fortress of Kakh-Kakha (7-12th centuries), Kukgumbaz madrasah (15-16th centuries), etc.