Khorugh
“A place with a lot of thorns” is exactly the way to translate the name of the foothill city of Khorugh, which is the capital of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region of Tajikistan. The city Khorugh, in comparison with the most ancient cities of Central Asia, appeared only recently - in 1895 during the Russo-British battle for the lands of Central Asia.
More than 100 years ago, Russian troops arrived here from Osh in order to establish on this land a frontier post on the border with Afghanistan, which had previously been captured by opponents. According to the chronicles of the tenth century, the territories in which the modern city of Khorugh is located was already known in the early Middle Ages.
These places were the point of intersection of roads, along which the long caravans of the Great Silk Road stretched from China and India to Asia and to the coast of the Caspian (Khazar) Sea. With time, Khorugh settlement expanded, the sheer mountain terraces were built up with new architectural structures. There was founded one single hospital for the whole village, as well as the first school in the Pamirs.
Today, the higher educational institutions of the small town of Khorugh enjoy particular authority, among them – Khorugh State University, the new branch of the International University of Central Asia, and the Aga Khan Lyceum. The population of Khorugh boasts a high level of education.
Also, lately, the tourist and hotel businesses have been actively developing in Khorugh. New hotels, restaurants of national cuisine and other cultural and entertainment facilities have appeared in the city. In addition, Khorugh has its own airport of the same name with a small fleet of light aircraft AN-24, which regularly fly to the cities of Tajikistan.
It is important to mention the extraordinary natural beauty that belongs to Khorugh. This small town-reserve is truly a picturesque splendor. It is located at the very bottom of a deep gorge on the banks of two turbulent mountain rivers Pyanj and Gunt, and is under the eternal protection of high ridges, so that cold winds do not penetrate here. Therefore, in winter and summer time, the temperature in this area is fairly flat.