Nukus

Nukus

Karak. NOKIS ( Нөкис )

Art Museum in Nukus

Nukus ( Karakalpakisch NOKIS, formerly Cyrillic Нөкис; Russian Нукус ) is the capital of the Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan in Uzbekistan with 230 020 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2005), on the right bank of the Amu Darya, industrial city (especially light industry ), the cultural center with the University, University of Education, and theater.

History

Nukus since its inception on April 1, 1932 the capital of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. Nukus was founded as Tortkol, the ancient capital, was inconveniently located and constantly threatened by the waters of the Amu Darya, was therefore decided to take protective measures in order Tortkol to invest resources in the creation of a new capital.

Even in the 1960s was a thriving town in the north of Uzbekistan, an oasis in the desert, located in the Aral Sea and Amudarya on which the epithet " the Rabid " was because of its swift current Nukus.

Today the lake has shrunk significantly and from the river has become a trickle. In order to get enough water for the cultivation of cotton, the waters of the Amu Darya derived in countless channels and no longer reaches the Aral Sea. Since 1983, the lake ceased to exist as a fishing area. At 90 days a year dust storms are observed.

Attractions

The Savitsky - Karakalpakstan Art Museum, named after its vormaligem Director Savitsky, who " has collected with much effort, courage and enthusiasm," the collection, houses a unique collection of classical Russian avant-garde art of the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s (after that of the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg is the second largest ever). The remotely located place this important collection is to be regarded as the result of Stalinist cultural policy that sent unwelcome artists and their work in exile. Thanks to the foresight of Savitsky and the subordinate geopolitical position of Nukus, the works have survived to the interested public.

In the vicinity of Nukus there are also many historic relics on display, including huge castles (called Kalas ).