Despite the closing of the Schengen borders, some places in Paris still allow us to escape to other countries. Just push the door of “La Maison de l’Ouzbékistan” in the heart of the French capital to be transported to a fascinating country. An open window to this country’s rich culture and artisanal ways, this Central Asian gem on the Rue de Rivoli offers a total change of scenery through the objects and books it offers, from which images of One Thousand and One Nights abound.
Large rivers, endless cotton fields, arid deserts, steppes, high peaks, but also fabulous oasis cities nestled in green valleys: the landscapes of Uzbekistan offer a wide variety of beautiful panoramas. Situated in Central Asia, at the junction of the West and the East, Uzbekistan is crossed by the legendary Silk Road, which was used by convoys of merchants, pilgrims, and explorers to connect Europe and Asia.
The Ferghana Valley is the most important region of Uzbekistan and is home to a third of the country’s population. Situated on the borders of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, surrounded by high mountains, some of whose peaks rise to over 3,000 meters, the region abounds in ancient remains that remind us that these lands were a melting pot of cultures and saw the emergence of great civilizations. This territory, which witnessed the development of Zoroastrianism – the religion of ancient Persia and monotheism before its time – and the passage of Alexander the Great, who used these roads to extend his conquests, was also at the heart of the building of the powerful Mughal Empire founded by King Bâbur. It is in the valley of Ferghana that great centers of craftsmanship developed which made the country famous internationally, including Rishtan, which is one of the oldest centers of ceramic art in Central Asia.
