Imagine spending the new year in a city which gives you the comfort of a modern 5-star hotel but can take you back several centuries in time to the adventurers of the Great Silk Road. Tashkent’s Intercontinental Hotel is offering rooms for two people for only US$106 per night. This is the only 5-star hotel in Uzbekistan and is a great bargain. However, be prepared for winter temperatures which hover around 0C.
When in Tashkent do not miss the Khost Imam Square where you can visit the Tellya Sheikh Mosque which has the Quran which Caliph Uthman was reading when he was assasinated – it has his blood stains on it.The Quran was kept by the Caliphs in Madinah, Damascus and Baghdad. It was from Baghdad that Taimurlane brought the Quran to Uzbekistan.
But the real fun of visiting Uzbekistan is in exploring the region. The cities of Bukhara and Samarkand were major caravan stops on the Great Silk Road and boast an impressive Islamic past. In fact, the most reliable collection of Hadith (sayings and tradition) of Prophet Mohammad was put together by a scholar in Bukhara – Imam Bukhari.
For more information on Tashkent click here.
