About Uzbekistan

Andijon – the Fergana Valley’s largest city of over 350,000 people and its spiritual mecca. Both culturally and linguistically Andijon is probably the country’s purest Uzbek city, and the best place to observe Uzbeks in their element. Andijan has a rich past and vibrant Uzbek culture but a troubled recent history, and consequently few foreign tourists come hero unless they're passing quickly through en route to Kyrgyzstan.

Andijan was founded sometime in the 9th century and was known in the tenth century as the village of Andugan. Andijan's steady growth ensured it the full force of Mongol destruction. It was just getting onto its feet when Genghis Khan rode through and razed it back to the ground. Yet in the late 13th century Kaydu Khan, great-grandson of Genghis Khan, saw potential in the ashes and rebuilt the town into his capital. This was a shrewd move, as the city became the lucrative gateway between Samarkand and Bukhara in the west, and Kashgar and Chinese Turkestan in the east. It remained the capital for the next three centuries, giving its name in Chagatai Turkish to the whole valley.

In 1483 Andijan's foremost son was born, one Zahiriddin Mohammed Babur, great-great- great-grandson of Tamerlane. Having lost his homeland, and Samarkand three times, Babur fought his way to India to found the Mogul empire. He recalled in his memoirs, Andijan produces much grain, fruits in abundance, excellent grapes and melons. In the melon season, they are usually given away at the beds... After Samarkand and Shakhrisabz, the fort of Andijan is the largest in Mawarannahr. It has three gates. Its citadel is on its south side. Into it water goes by nine channels; out of it, it is strange that none comes out at even a single place. Andijan has good hunting and fowling. Its pheasants grow so surprisingly fat that rumour has it four people could not finish one they were eating with its stew.

The khanate of Kokand pushed Andijan out of the limelight. Yet the Russians met stiff resistance on their first advance against the town, losing at least 50 men, until General Skobelov secured victory in January 1876. The rebel spirit resurfaced in May 1898 when Nakshbandi ishan Madali led a three-day revolt, put down after much bloodshed. The Trans Caspian Railway, harbinger of Russification and modernization, arrived in 1899, three years before an earthquake took 4,500 lives and most of the old town. The Andijan you see today is mostly of 20th-century construction: an earthquake in 1902 more or less levelled the Old Town. In the Soviet period Andijan industrialised and grew wealthy on the profits of black and white gold: oil and cotton.