 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Uzgen |
Uzgen is one of the largest cities in Kyrgyzstan's Osh oblast and is located near the tip of Kyrgyzstan's border with Uzbekistan. Within Kyrgyzstan, Uzgen is most well known for its rice, which is supposed to be the best in the country. If you can honestly tell me what makes Uzgen rice so good, please let me know. The site of a major flare-up of ethnic violence in 1990, Uzgen was also one of the major locations for protests during the so-called 'Tulip Revolution' which led to the collapse of the regime of Askar Akayev in 2005. This picture was taken in March 2005 and shows the main Lenin statue in Uzgen. Behind Lenin you can see the main government building in Uzgen as well as signs being held by protesters who were unhappy with the results of Uzgen's parliamentary election. These protesters were supporters of Adaham Madumarov, who later became a Deputy Prime Minister in the post-Akayev government. The main minaret in Uzgen. This is the main architectural feature of the city and is located in a square with a mausoleum (below). The mausoleum and the tower are the only remnants of the Maverannahr state, which introduced Islam to the region. When Genghis Khan seized the city, all the other buildings associated with the empire were destroyed. This tower is extremely similar to the tower located at Burana in northern Kyrgyzstan, which was built at about the same time and is also about 200 meters tall.. The main difference between the two is that Burana tower is missing the crown at the top of the tower. This tower was alternately used as a minaret and as a lookout; there is now graffiti throughout (and particularly at the top), a legacy of Soviet neglect. A view of the mausoleum complex from inside the tower. The Qara-Darye, a tributary to the Syr Darye river, is seen in the background, as are the Tien Shan mountains that cut Kyrgyzstan in half. In the lower right-hand side of the photograph are the remaining foundations of the madrasah (Islamic seminary) which once stood at this site. The madrasa was destroyed by Stalin in 1937. This mausoleum, which dates back to the 12th centrury, once held the bodies of up to 37 leaders of Maverranahr's Karakanid dynasty and later rulers of Uzgen. According to local legend, Nasr Ibn Ali, the founder of the Karakanid dynasty, may have built the mausoleum and once been interred there. It is difficult to say, as the Soviets removed all of the bodies from the mausoleum and moved them to Leningrad (now St. Petersberg), where they now reside. Although the mausoleum is now empty (save for the nearest section, which is storage), there are some interesting design features. The center of the complex appears to have been built first (presumably by Nasr Ibn Ali), with two smaller side mausoleums being built later. Although the second mausoleum was apparently built by Hasan Ibn Husein Ibn Ali, the third structure has no name on it. The only clue as to when it was built was a rock found inside with the date 1187. The docents at this location claim that the structure and design of the mausoleum was the inspiration for the Shah-i Zinda mausoleum complex in Samarkand. Indeed, the docents went to some lengths to argue for Uzgen as the center and cradle of civilization throughout Central Asia. More interesting is the swastica design on the side of the building, which is shown to the right. The swastica was a symbol of divinity and power which was developed in ancient India and gradually moved its way up north; these swasticas have nothing to do with the Nazi power. Despite that, Soviet soldiers returning from World War II attacked the mausoleum with pickaxes and sledgehammers, destroying the swasticas up to a height of about 2 meters. This damage was eventually repaired, though the line where the new swasticas begin and the old ones end is still clearly visible. The swastica design is also present on some of the doors. On the other side of the Lenin Statute from the mausoleum compex are monuments to the soldiers who served in the Second World War and in Afghanistan. The Afghan statue is at the right; note that although this statue is less than a year old, the F, G, and part of the N in the word 'Afghan' are already missing, as well as the fact that the eternal flame which is supposed to eminate from the star at the bottom has apparently gone out. The Uzgen tower can be seen at far right. Back to Homepage Back to Pictures Back to LiveJournal |