Nukus (Uzb. Nukus, Nukus, Karakalp. Nokis, No‘kis) is a city in the north-west of Uzbekistan, the capital of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, which is part of Uzbekistan.

Geography
Nukus is located in the central part of Karakalpakstan on the right bank of the Amu Darya, 800 km northwest of Tashkent (1255 km by road).
The southern and eastern parts of the city are surrounded by the Kyzylkum desert. The northern part of the city borders on the Amudarya delta. The climate is sharply continental, dry, with long, slightly cloudy, hot summers.

History
The city of Nukus was erected on the site of the ancient settlement of Shurcha. This settlement, according to archaeologists, arose in the 4th century BC and lasted until the 4th century AD. Currently, the study of this ancient settlement is difficult due to the fact that there is now a cemetery on this site, however, according to existing data, it can be argued that this city was one of the defensive fortresses that covered the borders of the ancient Khorezm state, and also controlled the waterway along the Amu Darya.
The first mention of the Nukus fortress dates back to the 12th century. It was built immediately as a military fortress, and its final construction was completed only in 1874, after the current Turtkul, formerly Petro-Alexandrovsk, became the central point of the Amu Darya department. This fortress did not last long, and in 1907 a new building was built on this territory, which has survived to this day. Also in 1874, a hydrometeorological station was founded here. It was the first and only such station built in the lower reaches of the Amu Darya.

Due to its small age, the history of the city is not so rich in events. It is known that in 1887 a school was opened for the entire population living in the fortress, which functioned for only about two years. In addition, a hospital was opened. Initially, the population of the fortress were Karakalpaks, whose main occupations were agriculture and cattle breeding; The men were additionally engaged in hunting. Gradually, other peoples began to inhabit the city.
After the Karakalpak region gained national status and the Amudarya region entered it, Turtkul became the main city of the region, but it did not meet the criteria of the regional center. In addition, the threat of being washed away by a full-flowing river always hung over the city. Amu Darya, since it was in close proximity to the river: only 12 kilometers separated them. The government faced the question of moving the regional center to a safer place, and Nukus, one might say, was lucky: on November 2, 1930, the authorities decided to make this city the capital of Karakalpakstan. One and a half left for various approvals and preparatory measures, and already from April 1, 1932, the inhabitants of Nukus could call their city the capital.

Sights
Savitsky State Museum of Art
The State Museum of Art named after I. V. Savitsky is located in Nukus, which is the best art collection in the Asian region, having the second largest collection of works of Russian avant-garde. The English newspaper The Guardian called the museum “one of the finest museums in the world” (Amelia Gentleman “Savitsky’s secret Hoard”. The Guardian, January 1, 2001). It is said about the collection of the Nukus Museum that it “sheds light on the history of Russian art” and “gives a true picture of the artistic life of the 1920-1930s” (Prof. Hansen-Leve, J.K. Markade).

The State Museum of Arts of the Republic of Karakalpakstan named after I. IV Savitsky traces the cultural period from the 3rd century BC to the present. Here are objects of material and artistic culture of ancient Khorezm, folk arts and crafts of the Karakalpaks – a small semi-nomadic ethnic group in the past, living in the north-west of Uzbekistan and having an ancient history and original culture. The Department of Fine Arts concentrates not only the national art school of Karakalpakstan, but also the works of the founders of the pictorial culture of Uzbekistan – a multinational team of artists who worked in Central Asia at the beginning of the 20th century.

Local History Museum of Karakalpakstan
The Local Lore Museum of Karakalpakstan in the city of Nukus is one of the oldest museums in all of Central Asia. The museum has a history of about 80 years, and its expositions are truly unique and interesting.
To date, the museum has more than 56 thousand exhibits, among which there are really valuable and rare ones, for example, a stuffed animal of the last Turanian tiger, now extinct. Exhibits constantly replenished thanks to archaeological excavations, as well as cooperation with various universities and academies.
In total, the museum has 21 halls, all of them are divided by subject: nature, archeology, ethnography and modern history of the region. Very interesting halls of nature, which are especially popular with children and give an idea of ​​the flora and fauna of the republic. The Department of Archeology contains models of ancient settlements and objects found during excavations. An interesting exposition of craftsmen, with embroideries, woven carpets, jewelry and musical instruments. The traditional dwelling of the local population, the Karakalpak yurt, is also represented here.

Berdakh Museum
In 1997, in connection with the 170th anniversary of the great Karakalpak poet-thinker Berdakh, it was decided to create a museum named after him. The museum building was built in 1998 next to the Karakalpak State University.
The total area of ​​the museum is 1.26 thousand m². It is a three-story building with one large and six small domes. The author is a well-known architect in the republic, laureate of the Berdakh State Prize Orynbay Toreniyazov.
The museum is a treasury of the cultural heritage of the people, a mirror of history, which reflects the entire historical path traveled by the people from ancient times to the present day. The Berdakh Museum, justifying its vocation, decorates the city with its original architecture.
Studying the work of the poet, one can call Berdakh the first historian of the Karakalpak people. His work “Shezhire” (“Genealogy”) is truly the genealogy of the whole people (not only the Karakalpaks), as it contains information about the Turkic peoples in general. The poem contains the names of about 300 characters, historical figures who have made a significant contribution to the history of the people. Berdakh has poems dedicated to national heroes, such as “Amangeldi”, “Ernazar biy” and others; the images of these heroes are still kept in the people’s memory.
In addition to the poetic gift, Berdakh also had the talent of bakhsy (a kind of musical art). He was famous for this not only among the Karakalpaks, but also among the neighboring peoples: the Uzbeks of Khorezm and the Turkmens.
Taking into account the breadth of the poet’s interests and the versatility of his work, the museum exhibits expositions reflecting the history, ethnography and culture of the Karakalpaks. Of particular interest is the hall of ancient manuscripts, which contains written monuments in Arabic, Persian and Turkic languages ​​that have survived to this day. The organization of special thematic halls of archeology, art and history is also envisaged.
It is planned that in the future the museum will become a center for the restoration, conservation and study of written monuments in Karakalpakstan and thereby take on a scientific and educational function.
The expositions also provide knowledge about the history of education and upbringing in Karakalpakstan, about spiritual educational institutions of the past and present (madrasas and mektebahs), about the first Soviet educational institutions, about the history of the formation of higher and secondary education in Karakalpakstan.
Nukus is home to the Karakalpak State Musical Theater named after Berdakh (formerly named after Stanislavsky).
There are monuments to Berdakh, Ulugbek, Ajiniyaz and others in the city.
Archaeological monuments are located in the vicinity of the city: Shylpyk – Zoroastrian dakhma, and the necropolis of ancient Mizdahkan.

Shylpyk
The ring-shaped structure Shylpyk is located on the highway 43 km from Nukus towards the south (to Khiva, Samarkand, Tashkent), on top of a conical hill 35-40 m high.
In plan, it has the shape of an open, slightly flattened circle with a diameter of 65-79 m. The walls reach a height of 15 m.
It was erected in the II-IV centuries as a Zoroastrian dakhma. In the 9th-11th centuries, it was used by the locals of the area as a signal tower.