Getting There
Centuries later, Samarkand has become a permanent venue for the bright and enchanting musical festival “Shark Taronalari”. Every two years, at the end of summer, Samarkand gathers hundreds of talented singers, dancers and musicians again and again at the magnificent international festival of musical traditions of the peoples of the world. Creative teams from foreign countries from all over the world come to present the cultural heritage of their countries at Shark Taronalari.
Many of the foreign guests of honor who come to the festival are in Uzbekistan for the first time and have barely heard of Samarkand before. Therefore, getting acquainted with the ancient city, whose history dates back more than 27 centuries, is a pleasant surprise for them.
What to Expect
On the historical Registan Square, surrounded on all sides by magnificent monuments of Eastern medieval architecture, a huge open-air stage is being built with simply fantastic lighting and acoustics. The organizers are doing their best: the best decorations, interesting exhibitions and conferences dedicated to the festival, and just a huge number of contestants, foreign guests and representatives of the press.
During the festival, exhibitions of national Uzbek dresses, folk musical instruments, an art bazaar and conferences are held. The festival itself lasts for almost a week, and it ends with a grand gala concert, where the winners of the competition perform.
At the end of the show, bright fireworks fly up into the evening sky of Samarkand, illuminating the crowd of thousands of spectators at parting.
History
The International Music Festival “Shark Taronalari” is held every two years under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan – Islam Karimov, as well as with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the National Television and Radio Company of Uzbekistan, the Union of Composers of Uzbekistan and the Khokimiyat of the Samarkand region.
The first Shark Taronalari festival was held in 1997. It was attended by musical groups and performers from 31 countries. The VIII festival in 2011 was attended by performers from more than 50 countries. In 2015, the Shark Taronalari festival will be held from August 25 to 30. The Shark Taronalari Festival is included in the UNESCO international cultural events.
It should be noted that the festival, whose original goal is to preserve the musical traditions of the peoples of the world, mutual enrichment of national cultures and friendship of peoples, also has a huge potential for the development of tourism in Uzbekistan, popularization of its historical heritage and the formation of a bright tourist image of the country as a whole. Already today, the festival attracts the interest of many tourists who have declared their desire to attend the event in 2015.
Facilities Available
Registan Square is one of the most famous places in Samarkand, which can rightly be called the heart of the city. Hotels near Registan Square are popular and in demand among tourists. Inexpensive accommodation facilities are ready to offer comfortable accommodation for a holiday or business trip. It is worth noting that guests can also book a room with a view of a landmark or an architectural monument. Hotels such as Kamila Boutique Hotel, Registry Hostel, Trip.LE Hostel Samarkand, Bibikhanum hotel, Sultan hotel and others are located near Registan Square.
