Tour of ancient Panjakant
Lonely ruins on a hill above the city
Ancient Panjakent, sometimes called the “Pompeii of Central Asia,” was a major Sogdian city founded in the 5th century. It lies above present-day Panjakent on a barren plateau in western Tajikistan. The ruins of the city reveal palaces, temples, houses, and magnificent murals depicting mythology, daily life, and commerce. Panjakent was an important center of culture and trade on the Silk Road before it was conquered by the Arabs in the 8th century. Today, it is one of the country’s most important archaeological sites.
Tukhsankorez irrigation canal
The entrance to the historical site is about a kilometer from the center of Panjakent. You simply climb up one street, the city and the hills are separated by a massive irrigation canal
Entrance to the site
The historic town sits atop these arid hills. You can take the footpath straight up or continue along this dirt road and explore more of it.
A path through a small canyon
The path gradually climbs through a small canyon. There are sometimes small caves in the rocks.
Retrospect
After a while, the mountains on the other side of the valley begin to peek out.
Stairway to Heaven
Finally I come across this staircase which I follow to the top of the hill with the archaeological site.
Archaeological site
The archaeological site is quite large and you can move around freely. There are various remains of walls and original buildings.
Evening atmosphere
In summer, temperatures reach 40 degrees, so the ideal time to walk around this sunny spot is in the early evening. Plus, it has such a special atmosphere at this time of year.
The main building in the ruins of Panjakent
The main building in the ruins looks very well preserved – probably a reconstruction. Anyway, it looks interesting with the setting sun.
View of Panjakent
From the edge of the hill there is a beautiful view of the wide valley of the Zarafshon River. The river itself is almost 900 kilometers long and ends in the Kyzylkum Desert.
Above the road
The circle is closing. We have reached the edge above the road we came here on. Basically, you can go down freely between the rockeries and return to the city center.
