Margilan

Margilan lies in Uzbekistan's Fergana Valley, where traders once exchanged Chinese silk for Central Asian goods along the Silk Road. Visit the Yodgorlik Silk Factory to see workers dye threads using pomegranate skins and mulberry leaves, or watch mechanized looms at the larger Margilan Silk Factory. The 16th-century Khonakhan Mosque displays cedar pillars carved with diamond shapes, and every Thursday and Sunday, the Kumtepa Bazaar fills with piles of turmeric, cumin, and stacks of handwoven cloth. More than 1,000 local families still produce silk using methods passed through generations, from raising silkworms to weaving patterns called ikat. This city maintains its role as a key producer of Uzbek textiles, with workshops open to visitors year-round.

Silk Workshops and Production Methods

Silk defines Margilan's economy and culture, with documented production dating back over a thousand years. At the Yodgorlik Silk Factory, workers boil silkworm cocoons in iron cauldrons, then stretch raw fibers into threads dyed with natural materials like dried pomegranate skins. Artisans wrap sections of thread with tight bindings before dipping them in dye baths, creating the resist patterns characteristic of ikat fabric. The factory runs guided tours where you can ask questions about each step, from thread preparation to operating wooden handlooms. For a quieter experience, drive 20 minutes to rural workshops like Rasuljon Mirzahmedov's, where families work in shaded courtyards surrounded by apricot orchards.

Weekly Market at Kumtepa

Every Thursday and Sunday morning, vendors spread blankets across a field 5 kilometers west of Margilan to sell seasonal produce and textiles. Arrive by 8 AM to watch farmers unload watermelons, almonds, and trays of raisins from horse-drawn carts. Look for stalls piled with ikat fabrics in bright combinations like lime green and magenta, often sold by the same weavers who made them. Near the market's center, women fry flatbreads in portable tandir ovens and serve them alongside bowls of chickpea stew. Bargaining is expected here - start by offering half the initial price when negotiating for silk scarves or cotton-adras blends.

Mosques and Historical Landmarks

The Khonakhan Mosque remains one of the Fergana Valley's oldest active religious sites, built with cedar trunks hauled from nearby mountains. Its main hall contains 24 original columns, each carved with geometric designs that avoid human or animal figures according to Islamic tradition. North of the central market, the Toron Mosque's blue-tiled minaret dates to the 1880s, funded by a merchant who traded textiles along the Russian Empire's southern border. On Margilan's eastern edge, the Pir Siddiq Complex marks a hillside cave where a 7th-century religious figure reportedly hid from attackers, later becoming a pilgrimage site.

Annual Events and Craft Preservation

Each September, Margilan closes streets for the Atlas Bayrami festival, where textile factories display new silk designs and hold public dyeing demonstrations. In 2017, UNESCO recognized the city's ikat-making techniques as part of its list of cultural traditions needing protection, specifically noting the use of fermented indigo and walnut-based dyes. The Crafts Development Center near the train station teaches apprentices how to spin silk threads evenly and weave without breaking the delicate fibers. This government-funded center also organizes exports to European fashion houses, with quality checks conducted in onsite laboratories.

Transportation and Accommodation Options

Fergana International Airport handles daily flights from Tashkent, with shared taxis available for the 25-minute drive to Margilan. Trains from Tashkent pass through the Kamchik Pass, offering views of steep cliffs before arriving at Margilan's station, a 10-minute walk from most guesthouses. Stay at Ikathouse to sleep in rooms decorated with local textiles and eat breakfast under mulberry trees, or choose Hotel Diyor for air-conditioned rooms near the station. Walking covers most central locations, but hire a driver through your hotel to reach workshops in surrounding villages.

Large-Scale Silk Manufacturing

While Yodgorlik focuses on traditional methods, Margilan's Soviet-era factories produce over 8 million square meters of silk annually using automated looms. These facilities rarely offer tours, but you can see their output at the Crafts Development Center's exhibition hall, which compares handwoven and machine-made ikat patterns. The center's second floor hosts embroidery classes where artisans stitch floral motifs onto tablecloths using silk thread. Upstairs, workers knot wool carpets depicting patterns from 19th-century Margilan designs, with natural dyes tested for colorfastness in adjacent labs.