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Tajikistan

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Iskanderkul is a mountain lake of glacial origin in Tajikistan's Sughd Province. Triangular in shape, it has a surface area of 3.4 square kilometres (1.3 sq mi) and is up to 72 metres (236 ft) deep. Claimed to be one of the most beautiful mountain lakes in the former Soviet Union, it is a popular tourist destination. Photo taken on August 07, 2010.

Damon Lynch

Overview

The term 'predominantly mountainous' doesn't do justice to a country where over 90% of the land is upland. This fact of nature has given Tajikistan a precious advantage over its neighbours, namely some of the most inspiring, high-altitude landscape in the world. Within an hour of Dushanbe lie multi-hued lakes, peaks that beg to be climbed and high passes that thrill even reluctant travelers. In among this natural splendor are scattered villages and towns that survive cheek-by-jowl through each extreme season. It hasn't been easy for these traditional communities to adapt to the changing world beyond their mountain strongholds, but despite this they are unfailingly welcoming of outsiders and cheerfully excuse cultural faux-pas as part and parcel of their proud democracy. Welcome to 'The Roof of the World'!

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Citadel walls in Khujand, Tajikistan.

    Citadel

    Tajikistan

    The city’s top sight is the citadel, the reconstructed corner of which is open to visitors. From the top of the 10th-century ramparts, the disintegrating…

  • The interior of Panjshanbe market in Khujand, Tajikstan.

    Panchshanbe Bazaar

    Tajikistan

    The core of this great bazaar, reputedly the largest in Central Asia, is an unusually elegant, purpose-built hall (1964) with arched entrance portals and…

  • Rudaki Park and the monument to the poet Muhammad Rudaki in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

    Rudaki Park

    Dushanbe

    Extensive Rudaki Park, with its beautiful canopy of mature trees, offers a series of pathways through flower gardens and alongside lakes and fountains…

  • The statue of Ismoil Somoni in the central square of Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

    Statue of Ismoil Somoni

    Dushanbe

    One of Dushanbe’s most impressive modern monuments, this statue celebrates the 10th-century founder of the Samanid dynasty. With an art-deco quality to…

  • Ethnography Museum

    Ethnography Museum

    Dushanbe

    Sharing the same complex as the National Museum of Antiquities, this small museum houses an exquisite collection of traditional Tajikistan clothing …

  • Entrance of the Historical Museum of Sughd Province.

    Historical Museum of Sughd Province

    Tajikistan

    Built within the reconstructed southeastern bastion of the city wall, this museum houses a fascinating set of modern marble mosaics depicting the life of…

  • Hisor Fortress, Hissor, Tajikistan.

    Hissar Fort

    Dushanbe

    Pictured on the 20TJS banknote and just 30km west of Dushanbe, the remains of this 18th-century fort make for an interesting day trip from the capital…

  • Sary Mazar Complex, Istaravshan.

    Sary Mazar

    Tajikistan

    Shaded by ancient chinar (plane) trees, a pair of small but ornately stucco-fronted 17th-century tombs are set beside a fine old mosque with tapering…

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Tajikistan and beyond

Beyond Tajikistan