Khudzhand (or Khojand, pronounced as 'ho-yan' and in Soviet times known as Leninabad) is the capital of northern Tajikistan and the second largest city in the country. Alexander the Great founded Khudzhand around 300 BC, making it one of the oldest cities in Tajikistan. The city was strategically situated at the entrance to the Ferghana Valley and it enjoyed great prosperity, until the Mongols sacked it at the beginning of the 13th century. They destroyed all of the cities splendid palaces and grand mosques, as well as its citadel. Khudzhand was rebuilt on a smaller scale, but it never reached its former affluence anymore. In 1929 the communnists split up the area around Khudzhand between the Tajik and Uzbek Soviet Republics. As a result, nowadays Khudzhand lies in Tajikistan, while most of the rest of the Ferghana Valley is in Uzbekistan.
Khudzhand lies quite isolated, behind the Fan Mountains and has escaped most of the horrors of the civil was that ravaged the country after independence. It is one of the few places in Tajikistan that has always been safe for travel. The area around Khudzhand is also one of Tajikistan's richest regions. Some 70% of the country's industrial output is produced there. Khudzhand is a very relaxed place, but there is little of interest to travelers. The Panchshanbe Bazar is the usual Central Asian blend of smells of spices, colorful people and noise. The mausoleum of Sheikh Massal ad-Din is worth a visit, as well as Khudzhand's mosque, medrass and grassy parks along the Syrdar'ya River.
There are several hotels and restaurants in Khudzhand. The city is 200 km north of Dushanbe.
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