Nurata city is located in the Navoi region, 230 km from Samarkand. It gained city status in 1976; hitherto, it was a small town. Today it is the administrative and cultural center of the mountain district of the Navoi region. There are several legends about the city's origin. One of them says that its appearance is associated with Alexander the Great, who built the Nur fortress here; now we can see only ruins. According to another version, the city arose many centuries ago, after the fall of a meteorite. There was appeared healing spring at the place where was fallen “firestone”. Hence, the name "Nurota" means “father’s ray”. As the locals say, sometimes there is a strange glow over the source. The population of the town is more than 92,000 people. In the 6th century BC, strategic and military conspiracies were conducted. The defense of the city was the Nur fortress.
Nurata is an important religious center, which attracts thousands of pilgrims and travelers from all over Central Asia. This is a land of hospitable and hardworking people, famous masters of livestock. When you go to the city, you can see a nice view - the Kyzyl Kum desert. One of the most important centers of Islam is the complex "Chashma", which is visited not only by believers from nearby cities, but also from other countries. Nurata miracle is Aydarkul Lake, with clear water and an abundance of various fish. During the excursion, you can also see other attractions such as Namazgokh Mosque, Juma Mosque, and Nur-ata mazar. Tourists are impressed by camel riding and yurt camps. Although Nurata is a small town, it is one of the most historically significant cities in the Republic of Uzbekistan.
