MARGILAN

  Margilan is one of the most ancient cities in Central Asia. Presently it has a total area of 50 square km, supporting a population of 165 thousand of inhabitants.

  Nobody knows exactly how old is the city, but according to ancient books Margilan was the largest city in Fergana valley in 10th century.

  Bobur the Lion mentioned Margilan in his book "Boburnome" for its beautiful fruit gardens, sugar sweet pomegranates and apricots. It is also historic fact that Alexander the Great went through the city twice in 4th century B.C.

  There is also a legend about the name of Margilan, it tells what:
… Alexander the Great on the way to India was going to pass Margilan town, citizens knowing this, prepared to meet honorable guests, one of old man advised to met them with chicken and bread as the Romanians like the chicken meat.

  After the ceremony Alexander the Great asked a local name of this dish. They replied: Murginon what means chicken and bread. No his way back the citizens meet him with the same food and after Alexander the Great had called this area Murginon. The time has change the pronunciation a little bit but since that time the town called Margilan.

  Margilan is the silk capital of Uzbekistan, there are 2 factories producing the silk known all around the world. The Margilanian silk was well known on the great silk road, it was exported to Baghdad, Kashgar, Hursan, Egypt and Greece.

  Things to see in ancient town of Margilan include the fascinating bazaar and the beautiful Khonakhah Mosque, exquisitely carved and painted in delicate shades of blue, yellow, pink and green. The one also can see and take a part in silk producing by traditional methods at the Yodgorlik Silk factory, the only place in Central Asia where the hand way of silk producing still kept originally.