Andijon

The etymology of the name of the city of Andijan is complex and yet to be fully determined, involving as it does not only the speculation of certain scholars but also the cautious interpretation of several local folk legends: The emergence of the city is associated with the name of the Turanian princess Adinajan, daughter of Afrosiab, the legendary ruler of ancient Turan. In search of a cure for her chronic ill-health, the ailing princess sought and found healing in one of the mountain valleys of the foothills of Takht-e Soleymān. To commemorate her miraculous recovery, Afrosiab built for his beloved daughter a castle, surrounded by a great and wondrous garden, in the lush valley which had restored her to health. …

The origin of the name of the city is uncertain. Arab geographers of the 10th century referred to Andijan as "Andukan," "Andugan," or "Andigan." The traditional explanation links the name of the city to the Turkic tribal names Andi and Adoq/Azoq. Andijan is one of the oldest cities in the Fergana Valley. In some parts of the city, archeologists have found items dating back to the 7th and 8th centuries. Historically, Andijan was an important city on the Silk Road. The city is perhaps best known as the birthplace of Babur who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty in the Indian subcontinent and became the first Mughal emperor. After the formation of the Khanate of Kokand in the 18th century, the capital was moved from Andijan to Kokand. In the mid-19th century, the Russian Empire began occupying the area of present-day Central Asia. …

Andijan is located 450 metres (1,480 ft) above sea level on the southeastern edge of the Fergana Valley, near Uzbekistan's border with Kyrgyzstan. By road it is 22 kilometres (14 mi) northeast of Asaka and 68.6 kilometres (42.6 mi) southeast of Namangan. Andijan has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk) with cold winters and hot summers, with a very continental climate, although winters are milder than one might expect for a location in Central Asia. Rainfall is generally light and erratic, and summers are particularly dry. Fertile soils, abundance of heat and light, long frost-free period (about 210 days a year) favor the cultivation of heat-loving crops - cotton, mulberry, citrus and other subtropical crops in the vicinity of the city. …

Andijan has been an important craft and trade center in the Fergana Valley since the 15th century. After annexation by the Russians in 1876, the economy of the city started to grow significantly. Several industrial plants were built in Andijan after the city was connected with Russia with a railway line in 1889. Several hospitals, pharmacies, banks, and printing houses were established in the city during that period. After Soviet rule was established in late December 1917, both light and heavy industries developed significantly. Andijan became the first city in Uzbekistan to be fully supplied with natural gas. Andijan remains an important industrial city in independent Uzbekistan. There are 48 large industrial plants and about 3,000 small and medium enterprises in the city. …

Andijan Jame Mosque Complex architectural monument (late 19th century). It consists of a mosque, a madrasa, and a minaret. In the mid-19th century, the city status was granted to settlements with a mosque in Uzbekistan. The construction of the Mosque Complex took place from 1883 to 1890 and it covers a total area of 1.5 hectares. Devonaboy Jome Masjid, built in 1899 in Andijan's old town (Eski Shahar in Uzbek). It was built by the wealthy merchant Devonaboy, and was Andijan's Friday Mosque until the beginning of the Soviet era, where most mosques in the Turkestan ASSR and later the Uzbek SSR were closed for namaaz. However, the mosque opened again in 1944, and has been continuously operating since then, with major restoration works occurring in 2014. It is built right in the center of Andijan, and the dome is the traditional Timurid style onion dome.

In 2022, Andijan had a population of 458,500. Representatives of many ethnic groups can be found in the city. Uzbeks are the largest ethnic group.