The varied history of Uzbekistan undoubtedly reflects its geographical position, which is confirmed in the case of Termez, the country’s southernmost city.
Termez was founded on the right bank of the Amu Darya at the crossroads of the caravan routes as the most important port and has fulfilled this function for over 2,500 years.
At the beginning of our era, Termez was the main centre of Buddhism in Central Asia. Monuments such as the Kara-Tepe, the Buddhist cave monastery hewn out of stone, the Buddhist Fayaz-Tepe temple and the remains of a large Buddhist dome are very popular with visitors and Buddhist pilgrims.
Termez is not only known for its Buddhist relics. No less fascinating are the historical monuments of the early Middle Ages that can be found here. They include the tomb of Hakim at-Termezi, the ensemble of Sultan Saodat (10th-17th century) and the legendary Kyrk-kyz Fortress from the 9th century.
According to archaeologists, Termez, the southernmost city of Uzbekistan, was founded as early as 1 millennium BC, making it one of the oldest cities in the world. The name “Termez” comes from the word “Taramastakha”, which means “a place on the opposite bank”, and did not receive its final name until the 10th century. Before that the city changed many names, such as Demetrias, Antioch, Tamo, Tami, etc. It is believed that Buddhism came to the territory of Termez during the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom. This is confirmed by the numerous finds made by archaeologists during this period. Buddhist buildings can still be found in the town and its surroundings, and the museums have many exhibits related to this ancient religion. For thousands of years the city was ruled by many different dynasties, including the Achaemenids, Alexander the Great, the Kingdom of Kushan and many others. At the time of Amir Temur and his descendants, Termez occupied a special position in diplomatic relations with China.
