Margilan, a city in the Fergana Valley, located near Fergana itself, is one of the oldest cities. It is no secret that most Central Asian cities, if not all of them, are located on the route of the Great Silk Road, which existed centuries ago and whose roads are spread across the East by a vast web.
So it is not surprising that Margilan was one of the ancient centers of silk fabric production. Preserving the ancient traditions of sericulture, Uzbekistan ranks third in silk production globally, and it is Margilan that makes a considerable contribution to this. Craftsmen pass on many of the skills and secrets of cultivating silkworms and further collection of the finest threads from generation to generation. Some craftsmen assure that the experience was passed down to them by their ancestors since the times of the Silk Road, which is not easy to believe, but not so easy to doubt, seeing the quality of fabrics produced here.
It is still a controversial question whether Alexander the Great was in Fergana or not, but in Margilan, there are many legends about Iskandar. Some legends even attribute the city’s name to this commander, who allegedly tasted a local dish with the same name and named the city after an exotic dish.
There is no historical evidence that Alexander the Great’s campaigns went beyond Khujand, so scientists are inclined to believe that Iskandar from the legends of this place is an another man with the same name. Although, this version also has no unequivocal evidence.
Among the attractions of this ancient and beautiful city, there is Chakar Mosque, which was erected on the site of an even more ancient structure, from which some elements of construction have been preserved. The brightness of the ornament which decorates the iwan (ceiling) of the prayer hall amazes with its variety. The Pir Siddik complex is also incredibly interesting with a dovehouse, whose history is based on an ancient legend describing the formation of this place.
Tourists are also attracted by Khanakokh Mosque with its high minarets and several yards. All the constructions are massive and filled with the brightness of colors inherent to Oriental architecture. In tsarist era, the Kok-Mazar burial site, surrounded by a high totthed wall and Gothic towers at the entrance, was considered a symbol of Margilan.
Historians continue to argue about some events and legends’ reliability, but we at Canaan Travel are sure that this makes Margilan only more interesting for visitors. After all, everyone in their heart dreams to unravel at least one of the many mysteries of the East during the visit to Uzbekistan.