ASTANA – The first exhibition as part of the series of “Perception of Central Asia Through the Eyes of Western Explorers and Travelers of the 19th-20th Centuries” opened on April 29 at Maqsut Narikbayev University (MNU), showcasing the works of the renowned Hungarian orientalist and traveler Armin Vambery.
The exhibition dedicated to Ármin Vámbéry, one of the founders of global Turkology, opened at MNU. Photo credit: MNU press service
Jointly organized by MNU and the Embassy of Hungary in Kazakhstan, the project aims to promote the historical heritage of Central Asia through the prism of views of Western ethnographers, travelers, orientalists, and linguists.
“The exhibition at Maqsut Narikbayev University is a significant event reflecting the development of Turkology as a scientific discipline and its formation in Hungary. Armin Vambery, one of the founders of global Turkology, dedicated his research to the search for the origins of the Hungarian tribes who settled in Central Europe. It was he who initiated the discussion, which remains relevant to this day: whether the Hungarian language belongs to the Turkic or Finno-Ugric language family. Vambery’s works laid a solid foundation for the spiritual connection between Hungary and the peoples of Central Asia, and thanks to his research, the sense of kinship between Kazakhs and Hungarians has been preserved to this day,” said Hungarian Ambassador to Kazakhstan Otto Ivan Rona in his opening remarks.
Vambéry’s journey through Central Asia captured vivid accounts of daily life, accompanied by detailed illustrations depicting landmarks such as the Khoja Ahmed Yassawi mausoleum in Turkistan.
The exhibition features a unique printed copy from the first edition of Vambery’s “Journey through Central Asia” book published in 1868, as well as a collection of historical images depicting the life of the region.
Yerkin Tukumov, director of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies, emphasized the important role Western travelers and scholars—from Marco Polo to Thomas Atkinson and Armin Vambery—played in unveiling the region to the world and fostering dialogue between East and West.
The participants of the exhibition opening and a roundtable. Photo credit: MNU.
“Vambery, disguised as a humble, wandering dervish, traversed the heartlands of Central Asia at great personal risk—not to exploit, but to understand; not to dictate, but to connect. His journey was not just a scholarly expedition—it was a quest for identity, belonging, and a deeper connection between people,” said Tukumov.
“He documented not just geography, but the very heartbeat of our ancestors—their languages, their stories, and their dreams. His works remind us that true discovery lies not in maps or treaties, but in empathy, genuineness and mutual respect. Vambery’s legacy is a precious thread that ties our shared human history together,” he added.
Women of Central Asia as illustrated in Vambery’s travel accounts.
Olzhas Berkinbayev, director of the Public Relations Department and press secretary of the Kazakh Ministry of Science and Higher Education, presented Vambery’s contribution to the Central Asian region.
Underscoring his significance, Berkinbayev cited the words of the famous historian Babakumar Hinayat:
“Having no higher education, Vambery paved the way to knowledge on his own and became the founder of the first Turkology department in the world. He played a key role in the establishment of orientalism in Hungary and put forward the idea of Turanism. His mastery of Persian, Turkish and Chagatai was at such a high level that his interlocutors could not distinguish him from a native speaker,” wrote Hinayat.
Driven by a passion to trace the Hungarian people’s Turkic roots, Vambery first traveled to Istanbul at age 20. His fluency in Turkish led to a position as secretary to the Ottoman foreign minister, during which he published linguistic works. By 29, he was a corresponding member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. In 1862, the Academy funded his expedition to the Middle East and Central Asia—a challenging journey for the time. Disguised as a dervish, his deep knowledge of Eastern languages and culture enabled him to travel through Türkiye and Iran to the Khanate of Khiva and the Emirate of Bukhara.
In Vambéry’s works, bridges appear as vital links of trade, travel, and cultural exchange, reflecting the vibrant daily life of the region.
The result of this expedition was the book “Bukhara, or History of Maverannahr from Antiquity to the Present Day.” In 1873, it was published in Russia in Pavlovsky’s translation.
“The value of the book lies in the fact that Vambery, in analyzing the material, relied on the works of the great historians of the Middle Ages. He deeply studied the works of Tabari, Neshri, Abu Bakr Nashshahi, Assaf Merhond, and knew well the works of Hafizi Abru and Sharaf al-Din Ali Yazdi,” said Berkinbayev.
“In this regard, the scientific introduction of the works of researchers at the level of Armin Vambery is an important step towards the revival of historical consciousness. Such personalities give us an opportunity to look at our history from the outside—objectively and deeply,” he added.
