This is the nation at the crossroads of ancient trade routes. This is the only comprehensive guide to this former Soviet republic. Samarkand, Khiva and Bukhara cities are more than 25 centuries old. These are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This title highlights Tamerlane the Great, local traditions, Islamic art in Uzbekistan and ancient buildings. Bound by sand and snow, fed by meltwater from the Roof of the World, the fertile oases across Uzbekistan attracted the greatest travellers and conquerors in history along the fragile threads of the Silk Road. Central to this ancient trade route, the turquoise domes of Tamerlane's Samarkand - some of the world's most evocative architectural symbols - and the holy city of Bukhara, which boasts a mosque for each day of the year, or the desert-girdled khanate of Khiva, offer the world a breathtaking architectural legacy. Let the images of ancient Silk Road caravanserais and trading centers capture your imagination through this ground-breaking guide. The precious mosaics, ribbed turquoise cupolas and majestic minarets that define the skyline will leave you spellbound.