Termez has played the role of political and cultural center, switching roles, religions, allegiances and even locations with the consummate ease of a circus performer. Gather its faded stars less than one roof and sit back and enjoy as Buddhist monks discuss philosophy with Mongol invaders, Greek garrison guards ogle Soviet tanks and Bactrian Silk Road traders talk shop with modern Afghan entrepreneurs. Bridges become borders, which become bridges again, heartlands fade to backwaters and cosmopolitan Silk Road junctions shrivel into a forgotten corner of a neglected republic.For the last 80 years Termez has been one of the furthest and most sensitively sealed outpost of the Soviet empire, enforcing an unnatural religious cutoff point between Islam and atheism. The modern traveler who comes to taste the sheer variety of its of excitement that comes from such proximity to the Oxus and Afghan border can rest assured that he is one of the first.

Termez Termez - the southernmost city of Uzbekistan situated on the right-hand side bank of the river of Amudarya bordering on Afghanistan. The city is believed to be founded at the III c. BC at the junction of trade routes from India to China. By I-II cc AD under the Kushan power Termez had become a major centre of Buddhism in the region and had seen the peak of its prosperity. At that time the territory of city covered as big area as 500 hectares. Today Termez is a modern city with population of about 100,000. For a long time the city was forbidden for foreign tourists because of war in Afghanistan. But over the last couple of years it has become possible for tourists to come and explore fascinating monuments of Central Asian Antiquity period – a wonderful fusion of Greek, Buddhist and local cultures as well as monuments of Muslim period of history. 1. The ruins of Buddhist caving monasteries of Kara-Tepa (II-IV cc AD) where all the structures, dormitory cells and corridors were cut out in solid rock. 2. The Buddhist complex of Ayaz-tepe (I c AD) with the remains of the Central Asian largest ancient Stoopah Zurmala, diameter of which is 4.5 m and the height is up to 8 m. 3. Ensemble of mausoleums Sultan-Saodat built in IX - X cc AD for local gentry of Samanid period. 4. The ruins of Kyrk-Kyz estate (IX - X cc) which is the monument of feudal serfdom period with blind walls, plenty of rooms, communicative corridors and multiple vaulted floors well preserved till present. 5. The Mausoleum of Khamid al Termezi (748 - 869), theologist, mathematician and philosopher, the founder of one of the Sufi Orders built in IX c. The memorial complex is rich with a unique carved terracotta decoration. In XV c. Tamerlane ordered to position the marble gravestone onto the holy grave which is considered as a masterpiece of carved ornamenting art. 6. The "Drujba" Bridge is a massive steel construction put over the Amudarya river to connect Uzbekistan to Afghanian township of Hairaton. 7. Kampyr-Tepe village (40 km from Termez) is famous for its medieval minaret Djarkurgan. 8. The local historical museum exhibits artefacts representing all periods of development of this area from stone age till present time as well as a good selection of local flora and fauna samples.