FAYAZ TEPE

Fayaz Tepe, a Buddhist complex dating back to the ^1st century AD, is a magical, timeless and particularly moving place. Set in the middle of the steppe, with the Amou Daria in the background and Afghanistan within reach, you'll be overwhelmed by the calm and beauty of the place. A labyrinth of living rooms and places of worship, the complex welcomed pilgrims from all over the world 2,000 years ago. Renovation was completed in 2004 with the support of Unesco, and the stupa is now protected from the elements by a dome.

If you're lucky, the janitor will let you enter and tour what remains of the original stupa. He'll describe the golden Buddhas that adorned alcoves, the feasts that were prepared in gargantuan kitchens, and the restful moments when pilgrims and monks took a breather under airy canopies. The small museum next door completes the visit. Most of the objects found during the excavations are shared between the Termez Archaeological Museum and the Museum of the History of the Peoples of Uzbekistan.

In the central courtyard, a basin illustrates the ingenious rainwater harvesting system that had been put in place, complemented by an irrigation system that had also been developed to bring water from the Amou Daria, dozens of kilometers from the site. Try to visit Fayaz Tepe in the late afternoon light: with the steppe unfurling its immensity as far as the eye can see, it's utterly simple and poetic.