Fergana
Fergana is a southern town in the Fergana Valley, the administrative center of the region, located 420 kilometers from Tashkent, in the eastern part of the country at an altitude of 580 m above sea level. Its population is about 320 thousand people. The history of the town began very recently compared to other towns of Uzbekistan - in 1876, after the abolition of Kokand Khanate. Initially, it was a Russian military administrative post to control the conquered territory and was called "New Margilan" located 12 km from the "original" Margilan. Then, in 1907, it was renamed the town of Skobelev, in honor of Major General Mikhail Dmitrievich Skobelev, who was appointed governor-general of the town. Since 1924 the city has been called Fergana, becoming the symbolic heart of the Fergana Valley. With Uzbekistan gaining its independence in 1991, the city began to develop rapidly as an industrial center.
Despite being relatively a new town, it is located on the most ancient historical territory of the Syr Darya valley, which is surrounded by spurs of the Tien Shan, as well as Yazyavan and Karakalpak steppes. Territory-wise, Fergana Valley lies on the territories of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. The valley was inhabited during the Stone Age, and cattle farmers and farmers have long been settled here. Excellent climatic conditions attracted people from Semirechye (Zhetysu or Seven Rivers), Tien Shan, the middle course of the Syr Darya. The inhabitants fortified their settlements with earthen walls, and in the Chinese chronicles, Ferghana was mentioned as a state formation as early as the 2nd century B.C., under the name of Daivan. The tribes that inhabited the valley were called "Parikans" or "Parkans" which, perhaps, is where the name of the town comes from. According to historians, in the period of the Kushan Kingdom, cultural exchange between the Sogdians and Chinese started. Ancient Chinese brought horses, alfalfa, walnuts, fig tree, grapes from here. In return they taught the secrets of silk-weaving and jewelry trade, taught to cast coins and presented paper and rice.
The Monuments and Sites of Fergana
Modern Fergana is a very beautiful green town, built according to the radial principle, like St. Petersburg and Tashkent. A military fortress served as the starting point for development. Tourists usually have one day to visit all monuments and places of interest in Fergana. The first architectural constructions in the city were the Governor's House, now the building of Drama Theater, House of Assistant Governor, Military Assembly - now House of Officers. Diverging like rays, all the tourist routes along the ancient valley start here.