Istaravshan Old Town

Istaravshan sits at the foot of the Turkestan range, about 75 kilometres south-west of Khujand, on the main road that climbs from the Fergana basin towards the Shahriston pass and Dushanbe. Until 2000 it was known as Ura-Tyube; the older name was revived, and in 2002 the town celebrated a claimed 2,500th anniversary. Some historians link the citadel hill of Mug Teppa with Cyropolis, the frontier town of the Persian king Cyrus the Great that Alexander besieged in 329 BC; the identification is debated, but the hill has been occupied for a very long time.

What to see

The finest monument is the Kok Gumbaz, the 'blue dome', a mosque and madrasa attributed to the patronage of Abdullatif Sultan in the 16th century, its turquoise-tiled dome rising above a portal of brick and glazed tile. Mug Teppa, a short walk away, has a reconstructed gate and walls on top of the old citadel mound and a broad view across the town to the mountains. The Hazrati Shoh complex, with a shrine, mosque and graveyard, is an active place of pilgrimage with good woodwork; Sary Mazor is another shrine worth a detour.

A town of craftsmen

Istaravshan has long been known for its blacksmiths and especially its knives, with handles of horn, bone or wood, still made and sold in small workshops near the bazaar. Woodcarvers produce the carved columns and doors you will see on mosques and houses throughout northern Tajikistan, and embroidery and pottery traditions survive in family workshops. Walking the lanes of the old mahallas, with their mud-brick walls, vines and courtyard gates, is as rewarding as any single monument.

How to visit

Istaravshan works as a half-day stop between Khujand and Dushanbe, or as a day trip from Khujand. Start at the bazaar in the morning, see Kok Gumbaz and Mug Teppa, then wander the old quarter and the craft workshops. Dress modestly, especially at the shrines.