KULOB

MUSEUM OF KULOB (TAJIKISTAN)

Museum of Kulyab State University named after Abuabdulloh Rudaki is one of the most important
exhibits of the history of the university. The museum collected and is about  500 exhibits - 
documents, photographs, scientific papers and books.

Kulyab is a city in the Khatlon region (in ancient times - Khutal) of Tajikistan. It is located in the Yakhsu river valley (Pyanj river basin), at the foot of the Khazratishoh ridge, 203 km southeast of the city of Dushanbe. According to the data for 2003, the population of Kulyab was 82 thousand people. Presumably, the name of the city comes from the Tajik "kulob", which means "lake water", or "kulob" - "wetland, thickets". Kulyab received city status in 1934.

History of Kulob

Under the modern name, the city of Kulyab was first mentioned in the 13th century.

For many centuries it has been one of the important political, trade, economic and cultural centers of the Khatlon region of modern Tajikistan.
The city was located on one of the roads of the Great Silk Road and had close trade, economic and cultural ties with many countries of the East
and West.

    During the Middle Ages, the city was the center of the Kulyab Bekdom of the Bukhara Khanate. It was an important political, economic and cultural center.
At that time,a large number of maktabs (schools) and madrasahs (higher educational institutions) functioned here, various handicraft industries and trade were developed, literary and scientific associations were active.

In the 17th - 19th centuries, 40 poets lived and worked in Kulyab. The most famous of them were Naseh (Abdurahmon Khoja), Khoja Husaini Kangurti, Bismil, Shokhin.

  On the territory of the city and its environs, during archaeological excavations, the remains of buildings and mausoleums were found, indicating a highly developed
culture of architecture and construction in the city.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the city of Kulyab became the largest city in Eastern Bukhara - it included 20 quarters. There were various types of crafts at a high level. Weaving (high-quality silk fabrics: brocade, aloch, kurtachi, suzani), jewelry, pottery and leather production, carpentry, as well as the production of knives, horse harness, weapons and other metal products were considered especially significant and respected among them.

    In addition, trade was developed in the city, there were oriental bazaars. Mostly in Kulyab, embroideries (gulduzi and chakan) were valued, which had a unique original
shape and color.

Mir Sayid Ali Khamadoni (the 14th-17ht centuries)

         Right in the center of Kulyab in the park zone with centuries-old plane trees stands the memorial complex of Mir Sayid Ali Khamadoni - the poet, philosopher and thinker of the 14th century. His son Muhammad, numerous relatives as well as Shaikh Shokhi Tolikoni from Afghan city Tolukan, the former inspector of the mausoleum and the mosque are also buried there. The building of the mausoleum is a traditional medieval structure. Originally it had three portal entrances with a domed hall decorated with carved decor. This structure is dated late 14th century. Later the mosque and the tomb were added to it.

In the 1970s the mausoleum was restored. During the restoration works the masters tried to preserve the mausoleum in the shape it had existed for the previous five centuries. They finally managed to do it. Near the mausoleum there is one more marble gravestone with inscriptions in Arabian and Persian languages and decorated with a geometrical ornament. It is written on the western side of the gravestone that there the son of Hatlon ruler, Amir Muhammad bin Shajh Abdulla, was buried. The rectangular tombstone weighs about a ton. The legend says that it was delivered to Kulyab from India on elephants. Today the mausoleum is a place of pilgrimage of local population and numerous visitors.

Kulyab, Tajikistan

Tours, Attractions and Things To Do in Kulyab

The city of Kulyab was born 2,700 years ago and for many centuries was an important political, commercial and economic and cultural center of the vast Khatlon area. The city stood on one of the Great Silk way branches and had close trade and economic and cultural links with many Oriental and Western countries.

During the Middle Ages the city of Kulyab was an important political, economic and cultural center. A plenty of maktabs (schools) and madrasah (higher educational institutions) worked there.

Various crafts and trades were developed there; literary and scientific clubs were very popular. In the 17th -19th centuries 40 poets lived and created their works. The most known of them were Nasekh (Abdurakhmon Khodzha), Khodzhi Khusaini Kangurti, Bismil, Shokhin, etc. The remains of structures and mausoleums testify about the highly developed culture of architecture and construction.

In the beginning of the 20th century Kulyab was the largest city of Eastern Bukhara and had 20 blocks. Various kinds of crafts, including weaving (high-quality silk fabrics: brocade, alochi, kurtachi, suzane), jeweler business, pottery and tanning production, joinery and production of knifes, horse harnesses, armor and other metal products were highly developed.

In city had flourishing commerce, marketplaces. Kulyab was famous for its embroideries (gulduzi and chakan) which are distinguished by unique forms and colorings. For the first time the name of Kulyab was mentioned in the 13th century.