2017 3-Stans Day 09: Shahrisabz -Termez, Uzbekistan

“If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet…”

(Ancient madrasah)

Day 09: 19 August 2017 (Saturday) 

Route: Shahrisabz – Termez 

Distance: 289 km 

Hotel: Termez Meridian Hotel, Uzbekistan 

Around 7.00 am we started our journey to Termez. The road was not very good and there were major roadworks along the route.

(A beautiful scene of the mountain range)

(A shepherd without his sheeps)

We stopped for lunch and toilet break at a small local restaurant at SH Rashidov, 35 km before Termez. We had soup, yogurt, pillaf and BBQ lamb, but insufficient to feed everyone.

(Sheeps and goats crossing the motorway)

(A man and his complaining donkey)

(A train perch on the mountain?)

We continued our journey towards Termez. It was around 3.00 pm when we arrived in the suburb. Before we enter the city, we visited several attractions along the route. Our first stop was the main holy place of Termez, the Mausoleum of Imam at-Termizi. This architectural monument was built to the north-west of the old Termez castle.

(The road to At-Termizi Complex)

(A religious philosopher)

(The mausoleum and the mosque of At-Termizi)

(Imam At-Termizi mausoleum)

(Quran verses decorating the golden dome)

(Stairs leading to the prayer hall)

(The museum in the complex)

Abu Abdulloh Mohammed Ibn Hasan Ibn Bashir al-Hakim at-Termizi was the author of a number of religious philosophical works, a religious leader, an outstanding theorist of Islamic mysticism and a prominent scholar and was the founder of the dervishes order. Often referred to as Imām at-Termezī, he was a Persian Islamic scholar and collector of hadith who wrote al-Jami` as-Sahih, one of the six canonical hadith compilations in Sunni Islam.

(Another UNESCO site)

(A long walk to the Buddist Stupa)

(The Afghanistan border is very near)

(Tiny door to the stupa)

(Inspecting the artifact)

Not far away was the Buddhist complex of Fayaz-Tepa, located outside the city of antique Termez. Fayaz-Tepa was a compact country monastery, with traditional layout that met the needs of a small Buddhist community. It included rectangular building and stupa separately standing surrounded by walls. From the stupa we were actually in a line of sight with the Afghanistan border about 60 km away.

(The border of Uzbekistan/Afghanistan)

(Shadow reflection - the two of us)

It was already dark when we arrived in Termez. Termez is a city in the southernmost part of Uzbekistan near the Hairatan border crossing of Afghanistan. It is the hottest point of Uzbekistan. Termez is located on the right bank of the Amu Darya River and is one of the ancient cities of Central Asia.

(Arriving in the city of Termez)

The city evolved throughout the history on different places around the modern city, reflecting multiple cultural layers depicted in remains of historical sites. The cultural heritage that was developed from the inception of the city was completely destroyed by Genghis-Khan in 1220, after the city refused to surrender peacefully.

(Termez Meridien Hotel)

(A suite at Termez Meridien Hotel)

It was already late so we went direct to the hotel and skipped other attractions. We stayed overnight at Termez Meridien Hotel, Uzbekistan.

      2017 Silk Route: 10 Dushanbe, Tajikistan👉

👈2017 Silk Route: 08 Shahrisabz, Uzbekistan