OSH

  Kyrgyzstan’s second biggest city in the south, near the border with Uzbekistan. The city of about 250.000 people with dominantly Uzbek population. They say Osh is older than Rome, and the number of legends tells about Alexander The Great who had passed Osh on his way to India, King Solomon who had slept on the place of present Solomon throne and Bobur the Lion, the person who conquered India. Places to see include one of the best Central Asia’s open markets, overcrowded with Kyrgyz, Uzbek and Tadjik people offering everything from seasonal fruits and vegetables to traditional hats, knives, horseshoes etc. The line of craftsmen still uses ancient technologies for making everyday tools: knives, horseshoes and steel decorations for the houses.

  Solomon's throne - the mountain of king Solomon called Sulaiman Mountain. According to the legend this mount appeared after King Solomon had rest on this place. For Central Asia Muslims Taht-I-Suleiman is the 3rd sacred place after Mecca and Medina. On the top there is an ancient mosque which operates till present time and was built by Bobur in 1510. There is also unique museum in the natural cave. It is one of the oldest cities of Central Asia with the history that dates back at least to the 5th century BC.

  The Pamir highway, which leads to Kyrgyz-Tadjik border and the main Pamir-Alai road to Kashgar (China) starts in Osh.

  55 km northeast of Osh is town of Uzgen which history dates back to 1st century BC. The sources say that it was the capital of Karahanids in 10th-11th century; also Alexander The Great troops went through the town on their way to India. Uzgen as well as Osh, was located on the historic crossroads of different brunches of Silk Road and played a role of staging post in transit trade. Nowadays all that remains of this history is 3 mausoleums and minaret whose top fell down after an earthquake in 17th century and has been restored by people in the village in 20th century.

Aliases: Osch.