




In the east of the Republic of Uzbekistan, four hundred kilometers from its capital, at an altitude of five hundred and eighty meters above sea level, there is an oasis in which a city called Fergana is located. In terms of population, it ranks fourth in Uzbekistan. It is predominantly Uzbek and only three percent of the population is Russian and other nationalities combined. Here you can see Tatars, Koreans, Tajiks, Azerbaijanis, Armenians and even Germans, who are representatives of different religions - Catholic, Orthodox, Buddhist and representatives of these confessions get along peacefully. Muslim mosques and Orthodox churches are built nearby. In total, the city is home to about three hundred and eighty thousand people.
This city was founded in 1876 with a special purpose - it was necessary to establish control over the Kokand Khanate. There is a local history museum in Fergana, which is considered the oldest in Uzbekistan. In the museum you can see the paintings of local artists. The folk music art of Fergana is very diverse in genres. The manner of performing works is very consonant with the traditions of the people. Fergana musicians are famous not only in Uzbekistan, they even took part in jazz festivals in different countries.
The famous Fergana market is located on the square of a whole block. Two huge shopping pavilions were built at the beginning of the twentieth century. Buyers come here from all over Uzbekistan. The market sells consumer goods, household items, souvenirs. A large area was occupied by rice traders. And here you can buy the products most beloved by Uzbeks.
The Great Silk Road passed through the valley of the Syr Darya and this is what reflected on the culture of the people who lived here. Fergana is included in the list of tourist routes along the Great Silk Road. Despite the fact that the city does not have ancient monuments, there are a lot of tourists in it. They are attracted by the very picturesque place of the oasis, in which the city immersed in emerald greenery was built.