Nurata

Nurata city is located in Navoi province in the foothills of Nurata Mountains. The city name originated from the name of one of the spurs of Gissar-Alai mountain ridge, going down to the Kyzylkum desert. The highest top of the Nurata mountain chain is mount Hayatbashi , 2169 meters high.

Already during the antique period a big settlement existed at this place. This settlement had a favorable geographical position because it was located on the border between oases and the steppe. Descriptions of the area of the Nurata Mountains by the chroniclers of different times have remained up to now. Great scientist Muhammad Narshahi in the X century mentioned settlement Nur in the book «History of Bukhara». He wrote that many people, who had seen Prophet Mohammed, were buried there.This settlement became a place of worship for pilgrims from different cities of the East. The city of Nurata is, even today, one of the important religious centres. This centre named Chashma, includes the whole complex of religious monuments: a spring, a well, Dzhuma mosque, Nur-ota cemetery. The spring formation is connected with the legend of meteorite falling. Ostensibly 40 thousand years ago the meteorite radiating light fell down here. At this place a wonderful spring appeared the water of which has curative properties. The local population accepted meteorite falling as divine display. The people exulted:" The Allah has granted us Nur (in translation “the beam”) ".

Thus by this legend the name of the settlement Nurata was born. The water temperature in the sacred spring is constant - 19,5 degrees. In the water According to the researches by the experts 15 microelements, including gold, silver, iodine, and bromine were revealed. Thanks to silver presence, water does not spoil even during long storage in vessels. Bromine contained in it renders calming effect on a human body. Surprising fish, marinka are found in this spring, which eat these microelements. These fish are peculiar, as they are without scales. Therefore they are sacred and are not used for food. The water from the spring flows to the city along the ditch.

Over the spring Dzhuma mosque with 40 columns and a dome of about 16 metres in diameter is located. This dome is one of the largest in Central Asia. The mosque has good acoustics. The words said in a whisper in the niche «mihrab», are clearly audible all over the mosque. Large vessels (xum) in four places under the dome on the walls are built in, which give this resounding effect. There is one more legend about the origin of the city name, connected with the burial place of sacred Nur-ata here. On the southeast from the spring Nur-ata graveyard is located where there are remains of this sacred. Each pilgrim who visits this complex is sure to bow his head before his tomb and pray. To the south of the spring there is one more canopy under which remains of the wife and mother of Nur-ata were buried. Near the spring there is a well with the depth of about 6 meters. Well walls are laid out by raw stones, in cracks grows peganum. In it there is water with fishes.

Along with cult constructions in Nurata, ruins of the fortress constructed by the order of Alexander the Great in IV century BC have remained. It is located on southern outskirt of Nurata. It is one of the most ancient and considerable archaeological monuments of Uzbekistan. The site of the ancient settlement consists of several parts of different safety. Researcher S.A.Ashirov described the monument in the spring of 2004 in this way:" Shahristan of Nurata (in the ancient time the settlement was called as Nur), in the size of about 500х500 m, was surrounded by powerful walls with towers.

The entrance was in the middle of the northern wall. From the south the walls almost rested against rocks. Fortifications of Nur adjoin the spring. The fortress is extended from the northwest to the southeast. The southern wall is strengthened by four round and semicircular towers in the plan. In east half the eminence where walls are partially visible has remained. The Northwest part is most destroyed. From the southeast tower departs a construction in the shape of a corridor in the length of 130m and in the width 16 m. It finishes with a rectangular patrol tower in the sizes of 26х26 m. Length of the tower with a corridor is about 130 m". The subsequent excavation on the site of the ancient settlement was not conducted. This fortress probably was constructed as a strategic construction on the border between agricultural areas and wild steppe. Building of a unique underground water pipe, the kariz system near Nurata, is also connected with the name of great commander Alexander the Great. Kariz is  an ancient waterpipe laid from the spring to the place of consumption. Its length can reach several kilometres. After certain distance from the surface the wells serving for clearing and the control of the condition of the water system fell downwards.