Kokand

For much of the 18th and 19th centuries, Kokand was the capital of its own independent khanate, ruling much of the Fergana Valley until it was annexed by the Russian Empire in 1876. The centerpiece of the city is the Khudayar Khan Palace, once boasting seven courtyards and over a hundred rooms behind an elaborately tiled facade, though only a portion survives today as a museum of local history. Nearby, the Juma Mosque and the ornate Norbutabiy Madrasah reflect Kokand's importance as a center of Islamic learning, while the Modari Khan Mausoleum houses the tombs of the khanate's ruling family. Located in the heart of the Fergana Valley, Kokand makes an easy stop when exploring the region's craft towns and is often combined with a visit to nearby Margilan.