Termez

The city of Termez is located on the right bank of the Amu Darya River and is one of the oldest cities in Central Asia. Traces of the city's existence throughout history can be traced in various places around the modern city, reflecting the various cultural layers displayed in historical sites.

In the 5th—6th centuries, the city was under the rule of the Ephthalites, the Sassanids. Since the 7th century, the local dynasty of the Termezshahs has ruled in the city. In 705, the city was captured by the Arabs. In the 9th—12th centuries, Termez was a large city, a trade, craft, scientific and cultural center. At that time, the length of the city's defenses was 10 kilometers, and there were 9 gates. In the IX—XII centuries. Termez was part of the Ghaznavids, Seljukids, and Karakhanid states. In 1206, the city became part of the Khorezmshah state. In 1220, after a two-day siege, the city was destroyed by Genghis Khan's troops after the inhabitants refused to surrender peacefully.

The new city was built east of the old city. Rue Gonzales de Clavijo, the ambassador sent by King Henry III of Castile to the court of Amir Timur, gave this description of this new city: "... After entering the city, we walked through courtyards and crowded streets for so long that we came home tired and angry."

In the 19th century, a new city began to be built, it was located to the south of its former location in the late Middle Ages, closer to the Amu Darya River.

Buddhism played a significant role in the development and ideology of ancient Termez (in the I-VII centuries). Not far from Termez, during archaeological work, ancient Buddhist cultural monuments were discovered, which originated in the days when Termez was one of the centers of Buddhism.