Several most famous and gorgeous examples of Islamic cult architecture are situated in Uzbek cities of Bukhara, Khiva, and Samarkand. Most of monumental mosques, minarets, mausoleums, and convents refer to time of Timurids, when glittering and shining things were valuable. Folk art of Uzbekistan had applied character: clothes, weapons, jewelries, fabric, embroidery, and carpets. It was interpreted by their seminomadic style of life. Islamic traditions ban to paint alive people, that is why traditional art includes calligraphy, which combines Islamic print with arabesque, and also production of carved doors and screens.
The official language in Uzbekistan is Uzbek, but Russian is still the language of the government and education. Tajik is spoken in Samarkand and Bukhara.
Central Asian cuisine resembles Middle Eastern and Mediterranean by the use of rice, seasoning, vegetables and spices, yoghurts and barbecue. In the North of Uzbekistan people mainly eat pilaf, kebab, noodles, ragout, home-made bread and flat cake. Distinguishing feature of Southern cuisine is delicate seasoning and dainty sweeties. The tea is drunk all-around, usually without milk.