Kokand

Understand

Kokand is a trading city on the Silk Road, at a junction where a route going north to Tashkent branches off the main trail from Samarkand through the Ferghana Valley and over a pass to Kashgar. It has existed for at least a thousand years. The city's glory days were 1709-1876 when it ruled the Kokand Kanate, which included parts of what are now four countries. The Russians put an end to that. Yakub Beg, who was born near Kokand and started his career in the Khan's army, built a kingdom around Kashgar and ruled much of what is now Xinjiang in the late 19th century, but Chinese forces ended that. The population was 260,000 in 2022.

Getting there

By train Uzbek Railways operates daily trains from Tashkent, additionally there are 1-2 services per week from Moscow.

1 Kokand railway station. (updated Nov 2019)

By bus 2 Bus Station. (updated Feb 2016)

See

At one time, Kokand had over 300 mosques; some of those survive.

1 Palace of Khudáyár Khán. Only nineteen of the palace's original 113 rooms survive; they are now a museum. 50,000 som. (updated Jun 2025) 2 Khamza Museum. dedicated to Kokand’s Soviet poet and hero Hamza Hakimzade Niyazi. (updated Feb 2016) 3 Jummi Mosque. The Jummi Mosque, built 1800-1812, is large enough to hold 10,000 worshippers. 35,000 som. (updated Jun 2026) 4 Amin Bag Madrassah. Built in 1830 and restored in 1913, the madrassah was closed under the Soviets and reopened in 1991. A carved wooden gate leads to the main courtyard with colored tiled walls (updated Feb 2016) 5 Dasturkhanci Madrassah. (updated Feb 2016) 6 Narbutabey Madrassah. (updated Feb 2016) 7 Modar-I-Khan Mausoleum. (updated Feb 2016) 8 Dakhma-i-Shakhon. (updated Feb 2016)

Buy

1 Kokand Bazaar. (updated Feb 2016) 2 Rishton Ceramics Factory, in the town of Rishton (Half-way between Kokand and Ferghana). The Rishton factory is famed for its blue and green ceramics. Decorative plates, tea-sets with floral design are sold to visitors. However such items are not hand-made. Modern machinery is used in the production process. (updated Feb 2016)

Eat

1 Markhabor Teahouse. (updated Feb 2016) 2 Ghuldasta Teahouse. (updated Feb 2016)

Drink & nightlife

Although Kokand's tap water is delicious (seriously), you're probably better off drinking bottled water.

Sleep

Kokand has an inexplicable dearth of hotels, and thus prices are quite high for what you get.

1 Hotel Istiqlol, ☏ +998 91 140 80 00. Hey a room's a room. Close to the palace. Air conditioning. Singles from 280,000 som, negotiable. (updated Jun 2026) 2 Hotel Khan, 31, Istiqlol Kuchasi. (updated Feb 2016) 3 Reikartz Kokand (formerly Kokand City Hotel), Imam Ismail Buchari Kuchasi (near Nabiyev Cinema), ☏ +998 95 400 40 81. Singles from 610,000 som. (updated Jun 2026) 4 Dangara Hotel, Tashkent Street 70 (Opposite Dangara bus stop.), ☏ +998 73 503 80 04. Comfortable Motel located 5 km from the city center. Outdoor swimming pool and sauna $46 per night (2016). (updated Feb 2016)