Fayaz Tepe — Buddhist temple of Termez

Where Buddhist monks lived in Uzbekistan

2,000 years ago Buddhist monks lived near Termez! Fayaz Tepe was their temple and school: a stone statue of the Buddha, wall paintings and inscriptions were found here. Back then this land was the Kushan Empire, and Buddhism arrived from India along the Silk Road. Nearby stands the Zurmala tower — the oldest structure in Uzbekistan (16 m).

Fayaz Tepe is a Buddhist monastery of the 1st century BC – 3rd century AD, 1 km north-west of Old Termez; excavated by L. Albaum in 1968–1976. Three parts: a temple (with stupa), a monastery (cells) and a service courtyard; 117 × 34 m. Finds: a limestone statue of the Buddha with two monks (Kushan-Gandhara style, now in the History Museum in Tashkent), coloured murals (the Buddha's life, donors), inscriptions in Brahmi, Kharoshthi and Bactrian, pottery. Under the Kushans (Kanishka, 2nd century) Termez was the centre of Buddhism in Central Asia, together with Kara Tepe (a cave monastery) and the Zurmala stupa (1st–2nd century, 16 m — Uzbekistan's oldest structure). Destroyed during the Sasanian invasion of the 3rd century. Conserved in the 2000s with Japanese help (UNESCO). The name 'Termez' may come from Greek 'Thermos' (warm) or Sanskrit 'Taramato'.

Fun facts

• 2,000 years ago Termez was the capital of Buddhism in Central Asia.
• The Zurmala tower (16 m) is the oldest structure in Uzbekistan.
• The Buddha statue from Fayaz Tepe is now in the History Museum in Tashkent.