The 7 Best Museums in Sughd Province, Sughd Province

Reviewed By andrewmU2655XD

The museum is constructed in the south eastern corner of the ancient fort ruins. The entrance price is 15 somoni and an additional 10 somoni photography fee. This photo fee is a bargain, as the displays are excellent. The main exhibits are downstairs. The most interesting room is dedicated to the Macedonian Empire and it's leader Alexander the Great. The glass mosaic display depicts important events in the life of Alexander. They include his birth, as a youth receiving instruction from Aristotle, the taming of his mount "Bucephalus", famous persons of the Macedonian court, Alexander leading his forces in battle, capture of Khujand (Alexandria Eschate) in 329 BC, marriage to Roxanne and the death of Alexander. A tiled area on the floor shows the extent of the Macedonian Empire. Rusted weapons of this era are also on display. Another interesting room is the "Arian exhibition". Above the entrance is the "Faravahar" which is the symbol of Zoroastrian faith. There are interesting pictures of petroglyphs, the avesto and fire altar. In the 5th century BC, when this area was ruled by the Achaemenid Empire, Zoroastrianism was the main religion. The last hall has models of the stone age. On returning upstairs, there are beautiful carpet exhibits in a small room to the left. In various exhibits, the history of the city is traced through the rule of the Samanid Empire, it's destruction by the Mongols in 1220 , capture by Timur in 1370, destruction by the Russian Empire in 1866 and it's modern reconstruction. Our favourite exhibits were a statue of the local hero Timur Malik, who defended the city against the Mongols, the Soviet history section including a rare Stalin sculpture and the WW2 display. We thought that the exhibits were well presented and provided a comprehensive review of the history of the city. After visiting the museum, walk through Khujandi Park where there is a small archaeological museum built into the walls of the fort, and if you continue to the rear of the fort, it provides a great view of the ancient mud brick structure, which unfortunately is not accessible.