Ferghana
Lying to the east of Tashkent, Ferghana city is one of Uzbekistan’s most important industrial cities. Soviet-era architecture takes center, and whilst it might lack the historical monuments found elsewhere in the country, it is the gateway to the fertile Ferghana Valley. The nearby town of Margilan is the heart of the Uzbek silk industry, and the ceramics of Rishtan are famed across the world.
Founded in 1876, the modern city of Ferghana provides a stark contrast to the ancient cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. Ferghana’s proximity to the silk factories of Margilan, the palace of Kokand the historically important town of Andijan make it well worth a visit on any journey through Uzbekistan.