Istaravshan is an open-air museum, an ancient center of commerce and crafts, one of the oldest cities in Central Asia. In 2002, Istaravshan celebrated a respectable anniversary – 2500 years.
Until November 10, 2000, the city was known to everyone under the name of Ura-Tyube, but was later renamed Istaravshan.
Uratiubintsy have long been known as unsurpassed master craftsmen. Their products – fabrics, shoes, knives, decorated with carvings, crockery, artistic embroidery – were highly valued in Central Asia. In modern Istaravshan the fruit-processing and wine-making industry has been created and is successfully developing. The city has become an important center for wholesale trade.
Story
Istaravshan was founded in the 6th century BC. Persian king Cyrus of the Achaemenid dynasty. On his orders, the settlement on the site of the modern city was fortified with three rows of walls and a citadel. “King of Kings” Cyrus (529-559 BC) named the new city in his honor, namely Kyropol (or Kurushkada). Kiropol owes its origin to the growth of craft production and trade.
By the time Alexander the Great conquered Central Asia (in the 4th century BC), Kurushkada was already a large, well-fortified city. 18 thousand people took part in his defense. Citizens of Kiropol rendered fierce resistance to the troops of Alexander the Great. Then he pulled a lot of troops to the city. The invaders set in motion the battering rams. But they did not help. Only by cunning, the soldiers of Alexander the Great managed to penetrate a small detachment along a dry river bed and open the gate. Residents of the city continued to courageously defend themselves, but due to lack of water they could not hold out for long. By the way, it was here, near the city walls, that Alexander the Great was injured for the first time.
Then, on the orders of Alexander, the city was destroyed due to frequent uprisings of the local population.
2 – 7 century BC. – this is the time when the site of Mugteppe was located on the territory of Istaravshan, where the local aristocracy lived, erecting numerous castles with original, expressive architecture. Evidence of this can be found by the settlements Bunjikat (Kala and Kah-kah fortress) and Chilhujra, which had well-fortified buildings with palace and religious buildings, decorated with murals and carved panels. In Bunjikat, in particular, was painted with a picture of a she-wolf feeding two babies. This drawing can be called evidence of contacts between the West and the East.
Bunjikat, in turn, was the capital of a state called Ustrushan, whose borders in the west passed with Sogd, and in the east with the Fergana district of Aspara (now Isfara). If this is transferred to the administrative map, then it turns out that Ustrushan included the territory of the present districts of Istaravshan Nau, J. Rasulovsky, Ganchi, Ayni and Gornaya Match of the districts of Sughd region of the Republic of Tajikistan, Havas, Zamin, Jizzakh and Farish of the Samarkand region of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and also the Laylak district of the Osh region of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan.
On the Mug Hill, where the residence of the local ruler was located, only the gate with a dome and columns on the sides have survived to this day. During the years of Arab rule, Istravshan wore the status of a province of the Arab Caliphate. At this very time there are Islamic architectural structures of portal-dome structures – mosques, madrasas, mausoleums, minarets. The rapid development of Istaravshan is associated with the rule of the Samanid dynasty (9th-10th centuries). Representatives of this dynasty were the first ethnic people who are now the progenitors of modern Tajiks.
The 13th century was a turning point for Istaravshan in all its history. It was destroyed by the Mongols. The second period of the city’s heyday falls on the 15th century, when the powerful Timurid empire was formed. At this time, the city just got the name of Ura-Tyube.
In the 16th century, Maverannahr (and with it, Ura-Tyube) loses its value as a result of the formation of a new state of Sheibanids with its capital in Bukhara.
In the 18th century, Ura-Tyube again developed. It was at this time that the citadel and the walls of the fortress were fortified, the old ones were restored and new structures were built that could withstand the attacks of numerous nomadic tribes attacking the city.
In 1886, Ura-Tyube became part of Russia.
To this day in Istaravshan a number of interesting historical and architectural monuments, evidence of the city’s bright historical past have been preserved. In Istaravshan, the urban market has been improved. There are a lot of ancient medieval historical monuments in the city, including 7 historical monuments of republican significance, 14 architectural monuments of city significance, 30 architectural monuments of regional importance.
Sights of Istraravshan
Particular attention in Istaravshan deserve such monuments of antiquity as the site of ancient settlement Mugtepa, Kah-kah fortress, Childduktaron, Kok-Gumbaz madrasa, Bobotago mausoleum, Bohotau mausoleum, Balami mausoleum and the Khazrati Shokh mosque, Sari Maeor ensemble, Chor Maeor, and the Shar Maeor mosque.
Madrasah Kok-Gumbaz (16 century). If you look at the city from above, you can see that the blue dome of the Kok-Gumbaz mosque-madrasa soaring above it. It is located in the western part of the city and so named because of the blue tiled dome (Kok-Gumbaz in Russian means “Blue Dome”). This building of the 16th century was built on the initiative of Abdulatif Sultan – the son of the famous astronomer and philosopher scientist – Ulugbek, grandson of Amir Timur.
A popular legend about the construction of Kok-Gumbaz says that Abdulatif, having quarreled with his father, left his parental home and hired to work for an old dekhkan to dig an aryk to irrigate a part of his land. For this work he was to receive 100 tenge. My father found out about it and took money from the farmer, honestly earned by his son, added his own money to them and built a madrasa for this money. Even three centuries later, at the end of the 19th century, students were trained in madrasas.
The main building of Kok-Gumbaza is made of square bricks. The main large square hall extends four deep niches on the sides. A niche with mihrab is decorated with rich molding. The walls here are elegantly painted. The entrance portal and the dome are lined with majolica, in the manner of inlay.
Hazrati Schoch Mausoleum (18th century). Absolutely every inhabitant of Istaravshan knows who is buried in the mausoleum of Hazrati Shokh – this sacred place is the tomb of Saint Hazrati Shokh – the brother of Kusama ibn Abbas, cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, buried in the 11th century in the Samarkand Ensemble Shahi Zinda. This is the oral tradition of these places. The very same mausoleum, which is one of the most ancient sights of Tajikistan, is included in the historical and architectural complex “Hazrati Shokh”, located in the old part of the city of Istaravshan. The complex consists of three religious buildings: the Khazrati Shokh Mausoleum, the Khudoyor Wayal Mausoleum and the Khazrati Shokh Mosque (also known as Namazgoh), dating back to the 19th century. All three buildings are located in a semicircle. Each of them was erected at different times and has its own history of creation and purpose. In the past, the complex also included a city cemetery and a madrasah.
Nowadays, the mausoleum of Hazrati Schoch is a modest two-domed brick structure with a tomb (gurkhan) and a prayer house (ziyoratkhon), repeatedly restored. There is a spring in front of the mausoleum, the water of which is considered to be sacred and healing. According to legend, the spring was formed after the caliph Ali lowered his staff in the mountain lake Oikul. The staff emerged at the feet of Hazratichoch buried in Ura-Tyube. A spring appeared at this place. It is from this spring, as scientists believe, that the history of the mausoleum began. Near the spring, as the embodiment of the source of life of the Muslims, the burial of a revered religious figure appeared. Later, a mausoleum was built over his grave.
The complex dates back to the 18th century, although historically it appeared much earlier – in the 10th – 11th centuries.
Mosque Hazrati Schoch (Namazgoh). According to legend, the mosque was built by a rich man from the Tal quarter, Mirzo Kobil in 1891-1892. Ivan mosque was built later by elder Salimbai. With two rows of carved columns, it towered above a transparent house with spring water. A cold bath (tahorathona) with several rooms operated near the spring. The mosque was renovated in 1913. It is located on the territory of the Guzari Namozgoh, which from the end of the 18th to the beginning of the 20th century was considered the cultural, religious, commercial and public center of Istaravshan.
The mosque Hazrati Schoch served as a place for Friday prayers of city residents during major Muslim holidays and on weekdays.
Mausoleum of Hudøyor Balami. The building of the mausoleum dates back to the 17th century. This building of unfired bricks with ganch plaster and ornaments has survived to this day in fairly good condition. Along with others, the ruler of Istaravshan of the last quarter of the 18th century – Khudoor-Devonabegim and the ruler of Istaravshan of the first quarter of the 19th century – Muhammad Rahim-bai were buried here. The Mausoleum of Hudøör has halls of peculiar form. Inside it, occupying almost everything under the domed space, there is a large ground crypt decorated with ganch carving from the entrance to the mausoleum. According to the architects, the burial of this kind is not found anywhere else.
In 1940, an autopsy was made on the territory of the mazar. Two embalmed corpses that belong to the descendants of the Timurid were removed from the grave. There are still 9 dead. However, there is nothing inside the grave now. Perhaps the locals, finding an open grave, removed the remaining bodies and buried them in another place.
Ajinahona In fact, it is a mausoleum. A noble woman named Bibibegimjon, descendant of Mahdumi Khorazmi, was allegedly buried in this room. The archive document, according to academician Akhror Mukhtorov, dated 1171, indicates that she was the daughter of Oishi and Ishoni Muso Khoja and the sister Ibodullo Khoja and Ubaidullo Khoja. According to the documents of Ajinakhon originally was the tomb of Hazrati Yusuf Khoji Kori.
In order not to let the children play inside and near the mausoleum, they were frightened that it was given
The second building is the home of the devil (gin), and therefore the mausoleum later became known as Ajinahona.
Chor-Gumbaz Mausoleum. Chor-Gumbaz Mausoleum is located on the northwestern outskirts of Istaravshan at the open grave of a local religious figure Eshoni Mavlono. The building itself is a memorial mosque with wooden domes and a wooden column. The size of the dome is 5.3 mx5.2 m.
The mausoleum belongs to the architectural structures of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. On one of the wooden parts of the ceiling there is an inscription: “Hijra year 1321”, that is, the date of the painting application corresponds to 1903. This year during the repair a colorful ornament was applied. The wooden parts of the ceiling are also painted.
In 2001-2002, the mausoleum was renovated to celebrate the 2500th anniversary of the city of Istaravshan.
Havzi Sangin Mosque. The mosque was built in 1904. This building got its name from the house (reservoir), whose shores were reinforced with stone. According to legend, the pond was dug by order of Sultan Parvonachi. According to legend, the reservoir dug slaves. Stones were taken on camels. After completing all the work, Sultan presented all the camels to the working slaves and set them free.
Near the mosque there is a small mazar (mausoleum) with a dome ceiling. According to some reports, in 1895 the mausoleum was called Shofozil ibn Abbas, and the building was built in 1795. According to other information, Fuzail ibn Abbos is buried here.
Mosque Savriston. Savriston is one of the most beautiful places in the village of Rugund in Istaravshan district.
The area of Savriston is more than two hectares and consists of several parts, each of which has its own history. This village is known for its huge trees, which are called “Savre”. There is a legend that Hazrati Ali with his ten people was persecuted by enemies. They chose a place of rest under these trees, and each of them tied their horses to pegs.
Suddenly, the enemies approached, and these 11 people, having untied the horses from the pegs, began to leave this place. At this point, the pegs began to move behind them. Hazrati Ali turned around and, so that they did not become a burden, said to them: “Wait!”. These pegs, having stopped, turned into trees and grew high, and the place was called “Sabriston”, from the word “sabr”, which translates as “to wait.” Over time, the letter “b” was pronounced “c” and the place began to be called Savriston.