A small town Nurata is located in the foothills of Nurata mountains range, 200 km from Samarkand. Nurata is the administrative and cultural center of the mining district of Navoi region. Legend says it that the city appeared many centuries ago, after the fall of the meteorite. At the ”firestone” crash site a spring of healing water occured. This explains the name of the city, "Nurota” means "father beam” or "ray-father.” Local people say that sometimes a strange glow appears on the spring. Nurata really an amazing place – as soon as you enter the town, you see surprising landscape-on one side is the margin of the Kyzyl Kum desert, on the other – the eponymous rock boulders range.
Nurata is located away from major industrial and tourist centers. In Nurata people live measured life, respecting the traditions and customs of their ancestors. The population of the town of just 25,000 people, who live in kindness, friendship, and are renowned for their hospitality. While in the 4th century BC the city occupies a strategic position. Fortress Nur served as protection of the city, and it was built by Alexander the Great. Today, a small town Nurata became a pilgrimage for the religious people. One of the most important centers of Islam is complex "Chashma”, which is visited by thousands of devotees not only from neighboring cities, but also from other countries.
