Kurgan-Tyube (taj. kurgonteppa) is a city in southwestern Tajikistan, the administrative center of the Khatlon region. Located 100 km south of the city of Dushanbe, in the center of a rich oasis in the valley of the Vakhsh River.
According to some data, Kurgan-Tube arose in the 7th century, according to others - much later. The city is located in the upper part of the valley, in the center of a rich oasis. The territory of modern Kurgan-Tube was known as Khuttal in the Middle Ages, and the city itself was known as Levakend, or Vakhsh. These places were famous for good shooters and a special breed of sheep. Near Kurgan-Tube, on the banks of the Vakhsh River, there is an interesting historical site - the ruins of the ancient settlement Lagman (X-XIII centuries). Archaeologists have found here pipes of an old water supply system, wells lined with bricks, fortress walls with towers. This city was a large settlement of ancient Bactria.
Adzhina-Teppe hill rises 12 km east of Kurgan-Tube; the remains of a Buddhist monastery of the 7th-8th centuries have been preserved here. (sanctuaries, cells, stupas, sculptures, wall paintings), including a 12-meter figure of the reclining Buddha.
Ruzi vakhdatToday, Kurgan-Tube is one of the largest cities in the republic, the regional center of the Khatlon region. There are several large industrial enterprises, universities, colleges, lyceums, hotels. Not far from the city there is an airport, a railway station was put into operation. The Museum of History and Local Lore will “tell” about the history of the region. The total number of its exhibits is 700.
The extensive exposition of the museum is a kind of story about the past and present of the city of Kurgan-Tube. The peculiarity of the museum is the diorama "Teppai Kurgon" and "Rastai Kosibon". A picture rises up on the theme of the past of the Vakhsh valley, where there was nothing but scorched earth, a merciless sun and rare caravans. Then before the eyes of the audience there is a beautiful panorama of the renewed valley - with cities and modern buildings. The expositions of the museum contain a lot of interesting information about the folk crafts of Tajiks such as suzane embroidery, ceramics, wooden and copper products.
Near the city of Kurgan-Tyube, on the banks of the Vakhsh River, there is an interesting historical site - the ruins of the Lagman settlement (X-XIII centuries). In the middle of the 20th century, archaeologists discovered pipes of an old water supply system, wells lined with bricks, fortress walls with towers. This city was one of the largest settlements of ancient Bactria and occupied a rather large territory for those times - 43 hectares.
City's legends
According to legend, some local prince ordered all those passing by to bring a skullcap of earth with them. An observation post was built on a man-made mound. This is how folk etymology interprets the name of the city, in the center of which there is indeed a barrow. In fact, the Turkic word "tube" means "hill".