Osh

Osh is a city on the eastern edge of the Ferghana Valley in southern Kyrgyzstan. Osh is the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan, which officially received the status of the “Southern Capital” of the republic, located on the southeastern edge of the Fergana Depression at the northern foot of the Kichialai Range (Southwestern edge of the Tien Shan, and the northeastern edge of the Pamir-Alai) on an altitude of 700 – 1000 meters above sea level.Osh is nicknamed the “capital of the South”.

Osh was one of the religious Muslim centers of Central Asia. Best known for the ancient mosques in the city center, as well as the Sulaiman-Too mountain, which is a traditional pilgrimage site. Osh was a crossing point on the trade caravan routes of antiquity and the Middle Ages from India and China to Europe. One of the branches of the Great Silk Road, which was the most important trade artery of antiquity, connecting the East with the West, passed here.The trading city of Osh was very famous for its bazaars and caravanserais.
Modern Osh is the industrial center of Kyrgyzstan. Here is located one of the largest in Central Asia cotton mill, silk mill, construction industry, metalworking, mechanical engineering, light, food, woodworking industries, an airport.

Access : Coordinates: 40.53, 72.8 / Osh is located in the Ferghana Valley on the Uzbek border, 299 km southwest of Bishkek, the capital. / Osh Airport is actively operating, receiving and sending local and international flights.

Highlights :

• The city extends at the foot of the Soulaïman-Too mountain, also called “Solomon’s Throne”, in honor of this prophet-king, source of many legends in Muslim culture, who would have spent a night there.
• the main bazaar, located on the left bank of the Ak-Bura river, was a classic example of the eastern covered market.
• Suleiman-Too (“Suleiman’s mountain”) or Takhti-Suleiman (“the throne of Suleiman”, that is, the biblical king Solomon : The sacred mountain Sulaiman-Too, flaunting in the middle of the city of Osh. Already in the 10th century, pilgrims from all over Asia were drawn to this inconspicuous at first glance rocky hill, for from time immemorial it is believed that it was here that the prophet Suleiman turned to God .The only object of Kyrgyzstan in the UNESCO list (since 2009).The complex on Mount Sulaiman-Too (Takht-i-Sulaiman – Throne of Solomon) has been a place of pilgrimage since at least the X century, especially popular among women who want to get rid of infertility,All these architectural monuments are part of the Osh United Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve.
• Ak-Burinskaya fortress (I-XII) / Surot-Tash rock (100 rock carvings of the 1st millennium BC) / Michael the Archangel Church / Memorial complex “Eternal Flame”
  Memorial “Grieving Mother” / Monument to the Red Army soldier V. Golubev / Monument to the astronauts / Monument to the car “GAZ-AA” / Turgunbai Sadykov Osh Regional Museum of Fine Art / Mausoleum of Asaf ibn Burkhiy / Manas Statue ,on way to/from airport. Statue to Kyrgyzstan’s legendary hero-leader.
• Madrasah Alymbek Paravanchi datka, madrasah Mukhamedboy Türk Khal Muratbaev are magnificent examples of the Fergana architecture and construction school.
• The Rabat Abdul Khan Mosque, dates back to the 16th century and can be found right next to the bazaar. / Mosque Shahid-Tepa / Sadykbai Mosque / Mosque Muhammad Yusuf Baykhodji ugli -1909.
• Local history complex “Great Silk Road” on the eastern side of the Sulaiman-Too mountain, built to celebrate the three thousandth anniversary of the city.
• The legend : Legend that once in one of his campaigns, King Solomon (Sulaiman) led an army, and in front drove a couple of oxen harnessed to a plow. As soon as the oxen drew level with the famous mountain, the king liked the place to halt, and he shouted to stop the animals: “Hosh!” – “That’s enough!” This exclamation gave the name to the future city.
• Osh is at the terminus of the Pamir highway :  Built by the Soviets at the time of World War II. Immediately after passing the Taldyk mountain pass (3,615 m) you will find the center of Sary Tash, 225 km from Osh.
• Osh region is famous for the largest caves in all of Kyrgyzstan: Chil-Ustun, Chil-Mairam, Keklik-Too.

Activities : Sightseeing / Photo opportunities / Bazar Jayma : Jayma is a lively and picturesque bazaar where you can find everything / Climbing Lenin Peak / Travel the Pamir Highway, running from Osh to Khorog to Dushanbe.

Go next : Abshyr-Ata Waterfall / Alai Valley / Arslanbob , a small village in Kyrgyzstan, near Jalal-Abad. / The Ferghana Valley is a region in the southwest of Kyrgyzstan./ Kara-Suu is an industrial city 24 km north of Osh, famous for a large bazaar of goods from China / The Pamir highway.