The city of Uzgen was founded in the 8th-9th centuries on a steep terrace of the Kara-Darya River. It is known that a trade route from Fergana to Semirechye passed through Uzgen. From the 10th to the 13th centuries, Uzgen was a major trading center, a powerful fortress, and the southern capital of the Karakhanid state.
The center of the city remains the Uzgen architectural complex, built in the 11th-12th centuries. It includes a minaret and three mausoleums located nearby. Initially, they were tombs of the Karakhanid rulers. The middle mausoleum, the earliest structure, was built in the early 11th century. The northern mausoleum was added to the middle one in 1152. The carved terracotta inscriptions contain the date of construction and the name of the ruler of the Western Karakhanid state, Hussein Hasan ibn Ali. The southern mausoleum is dated to 1187 according to its terracotta inscription. All three mausoleums are topped with domes and adorned with portals, their facades richly decorated with inscriptions and patterns that finely combine floral and geometric designs. The beauty and virtuosity of the inscriptions in the flourishing Kufic and Naskh scripts, the carved terracotta, decorative latticework - ponjara, cornices made of "dandana" masonry, U-shaped portal frames, and terracotta inserts with exquisite floral arabesques "islami," star and cross ornaments filled with a stylized motif of a winding vine, complex woven patterns, and geometric designs made of brick - "girih" - are captivating.
The minaret, a characteristic cult structure from the period of Karakhanid dominance, was built in the second half of the 11th century. Based on the proportions of its parts, it can be assumed that in ancient times the minaret reached a height of at least 45 meters. Later, the upper part collapsed during one of the earthquakes. In 1923, a 5-meter finishing lantern in the style of the Andijan school was added to the surviving part. The current height of the monument is 27.4 m.
The mausoleums and the minaret are built of fired brick with the use of ceramics. Looking at these perfect works of architectural art, one cannot help but marvel at the skill, mathematical training, and sense of beauty of the people of the past era.
