Things to see and do Tashkent

Throughout the year, Farkhad brings you to the discovery of an historic and contemporary Uzbekistan. A perfect francophone and fine connoisseur of the desires and needs of a Western clientele, it will benefit from its experience on the ground and an excellent network of contacts across the country. Based in Tashkent, Farkhad operates both in Samarkand and in Ferghana Valley or in the end of Karakalpakstan. Perfect for organising a surprising stay, but without bad surprises, and come back with exceptional memories and meetings. 

Chorsu, which means the «four roads», is the biggest bazaar in the centre of Tashkent. The large hall, built after the earthquake of 1966, welcomes products from all over the country: dry fruit on the floor, spices and condiments on the ground floor. In recent years, Chorsu has undergone some changes. The open-air meat market, where one trébuchait on the heads of freshly shaved sheep, and where even the night was a smell of blood and fat, was moved to a new closed and glass building. The previously reserved space is now host all year round and seed sellers, except during the melon season, where the production of cucurbits from all over the country occurs.

At the foot of the grand hall are still clowns, wrestlers and acrobats of all kinds, attracting a dense and enthusiastic crowd. On the other side of the grand hall, the clothing shops have also been renovated and rebuilt in a hard way. The large bus station has been reorganized, and the nearby intersection, from where to reach the old town of Chorsu, has been completely redone. You will find a model supermarket as well as an amazing building with a children's crib and at the top of which you can climb through a spiral staircase to admire the view over the bazaar or the mountains.

The former palace of the diplomat Alexander Polovtsev was turned into a museum in 1938. Of the 24 original parts, only a dozen remain, of which only some have been restored. The reception room and the small lounge in an eclectic oriental style deserve a visit. The architectural ensemble is reminiscent of a mosque, with an iwan and an inner courtyard, the reception hall even having a mihrab indicating the direction of Mecca. A quote from Umar Khayyam - "The world is a palace with two doors, through one you enter, through the other you leave. " - adorns one of the doors of the great hall with walls entirely covered with painted stucco. Carved wooden columns support an impressive painted wooden ceiling. The central fountain was unfortunately covered with marble a few years ago. Just behind it, the small salon where the hookah was smoked has also suffered from the restoration. In the exhibition rooms you will see suzani (embroidered drapes) from different periods, tioupé (embroidered caps) in the first room, pottery and ceramics in the second room, wood carvings, musical instruments and jewellery mostly from the 20th century. At the end of the route, you can linger at the souvenir shop which offers beautiful local handicrafts. There is also a small café in the courtyard for a hot drink or refreshment at the end of the visit.

The museum presents the evolution of the Uzbek Olympic Committee since 1992 and houses some sports treasures. Of course, Uzbekistan is not a great Olympic nation. However, the Uzbek government attaches particular importance to sport, as evidenced by the many stadiums and sports facilities built since independence. You can enjoy a walk along the Ankhor Canal to admire the facade. The museum café offers a pleasant moment on the canal.

The largest mosque in Uzbekistan was inaugurated in autumn 2014. Desired by the president, Islam Karimov, it was inaugurated with great pomp and ceremony and can accommodate 2,400 people. Made of white marble and taking up the classical architecture of the country, its mosaics represent the sky. The gold-covered mirhab is based on writings from the Qur'an and the central building is flanked by two high minarets. The ensemble is not yet very patinated and in this sense still lacks a bit of charm, but all around have been created pleasant green spaces along the Ankhor canal.

Babur Park offers a pleasant stopover in the north of the Yakkasaray district. It is divided into several spaces with very distinct atmospheres, each of which we like in its own way.

At the corner of the main streets of Babur and Rustaveli, Pushkin Square is organized around the statue of the Russian poet. The layout has been very successful here, with pleasant paths, benches and fountains under the shade of large plane trees. During the day, you can meet with family and friends, while in the evening, lovers come to coo in the dark. In a corner of the square you can find a small bookshop dedicated to Pushkin's works.

The largest part of the park is occupied by old-fashioned attractions: merry-go-rounds, shooting galleries, Ferris wheel, etc. It's a retro and good-natured atmosphere that we find there. There are a few cafes to refresh your throat or eat on the go.

The Seoul Park was inaugurated in 2014 to celebrate the friendship between the Uzbek and Korean peoples. You can stroll around a traditional pavilion and typical Korean vegetation.

Seattle Peace Park: Babur Park is a reminder of a historic twinning between Tashkent and Seattle in 1973. When the Cold War was at its height and relations between the USSR and the United States were far from ideal, Tashkent and Seattle signed the first twinning decree between the two opposing blocs. The Seattle Peace Park is a reminder of this rapprochement. More prosaically, a barbecue restaurant, the Seattle, adjoins Pushkin Square.

This gallery is dedicated to contemporary Uzbek photography. The exhibition space is spread over two floors, a ground floor and an anti-atomic bunker in the basement. It is also home to a studio and a photography school. An opportunity to meet the country's creative youth and their work on images. It is a dynamic and modern space where creativity is at its best to propose original and inspired works. There are regular concerts, seminars and painting exhibitions which further diversify the cultural action of the place.

The Tashkent House of Photography is located in a 1934 building, imitating the main lines of the oriental style. Since 2005, this exhibition space has been dedicated to contemporary photography, confirmed artists as emerging talents. These are artists working or coming from the sphere of the former USSR. You will discover the Uzbek photography scene and artists from neighbouring countries, but few Anglo-Saxon or European. A unique avant-garde place in the country.

The family house of the most famous Uzbek pottery. Exhibition-sale.

Built in the second half of the 16th century, during the reign of Abdullah Khan II (1557-1598). Under the Soviets, the Koranic school had become an administrative building. The motifs on the façade are inspired by the madrasah of Ulugh Begh in Samarkand. The madrasa, now the largest in Tashkent, is once again welcoming students and it is worth passing under its entrance gate to admire a pretty courtyard bordered by cells on two levels. Right next door is the Grand Friday Mosque.

Built in the early 19th century, this madrasa was one of the most famous Koranic universities in Tashkent. The students studied the Koran, but also the legacy of all the great Uzbek and Muslim scholars: astronomy, mathematics, medicine, Persian and Arabic literature... In recent years, the madrasa has become a tourist attraction and now houses shops and workshops for craftsmen, wood engravers, ceramists, painters of miniatures on boxes. There are also embroidered fabrics and jewellery.

This ancient necropolis has suffered multiple damage before being renovated. The complex comprises three mausoleum dating from the fifteenth century: the mausoleum of Kaldirgach Bey, built at the beginning of the xve and which is the oldest construction of Tashkent, the Younous Khan mausoleum (descendant of Gengis Khan and Babur grandfather) dates from the end of xve, and the mausoleum of Sheik Khavendi Takhoura (says: Sheik Antaour), built in the fifteenth century and rebuilt at the beginning of the nineteenth, according to the original plans. Sheik Antaour and Kaldirgach Bey are ancestors of Khodja Akhrar, one of the great spiritual masters of Central Asia, whose mausoleum is located in Samarkand. They are highly respected as Sufi masters in Central Asia.

The botanical garden is a quiet and refreshing place where picnicking is allowed. With numerous fountains and ponds and mostly sheltered from the sun by the vast shade of the trees, it is ideal for finding some coolness on hot summer days. Dating from the 1920s, it is the oldest and largest botanical garden in Central Asia. The garden covers different geographical areas: Central Asia, Crimea, Caucasus, Europe, Far East. A collection on more than 40 hectares in the heart of the city.

Same type of programs as the previous one. Asia Travel is known as the sports tourism specialist in the region. Given the difficulties in the high mountain areas, its services can greatly facilitate the stay.

Collection of personal effects and stage clothing of the most popular dancers and founder of the "Bahor" troupe.

The highest building in Central Asia (375 m) was designed to withstand earthquakes up to Richter scale index 9. Erected between 1978 and 1984, it was inaugurated on 15 January 1985, and dominates the whole city of Tashkent, offering a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains. One can go there to admire the landscape at bird's eye level or eat Uzbek cuisine in the highest restaurant in the city! In the entrance hall, the mosaics are absolutely magnificent, made of semi-precious stones and marble.

Independence Square is a space reserved for annual celebrations. The construction of the Senate Palace has given it a new aesthetic, overhung by an arch dominated by humos, legendary birds from oriental tales. A few metres away stands the World War II War Memorial, where a flame burns permanently under a statue of a woman, symbolizing mothers who lost their children. The names of the missing are on golden plaques.

In the centre of Tashkent, on Amur Timur Square, a gigantic statue of Tamerlan on horseback replaced that of Karl Marx shortly after independence. Lovers of detail will note that the emperor is depicted with his right arm outstretched, which was impossible for him due to his infirmity. However, legend has it that the reason Tamerlan's armies were so strong was that each soldier, even with his right arm severed in battle, could continue to fight with his left hand as well, just like his leader.

To the west of the square stands the colossal Hotel Uzbekistan, whose architecture evokes an open book, while the concrete "interlacing" on the façade symbolizes the Koranic writing. To the right of the Hotel Uzbekistan, a brand new congress centre was inaugurated in 2011. Its structure with colonnades spaced out by large glass panels is dominated by a dome where two humos, the legendary birds of the Avesta, which have become one of the national symbols, are enthroned.

The Amur Timur square itself, once buried under the shade of hundred-year-old plane trees, has been completely redone, sacrificing these venerable trees in the process. People now stroll among the shrubs, but without much enthusiasm since the locals left the place. The official aim was to clear the view of the brand new congress centre from Karl Mark Avenue opposite, in defiance of the plane trees, so emblematic of Central Asian cities and unfortunately so often the victims of urban renovation.

Starting from Independence Square and following the Ankhor Canal southwards, you will come to Navoi Park, Tashkent's great summer meeting place. Between Independence Square and Navoi Park, the Ankhor Canal was once the boundary between the modern Russian and Uzbek cities. It is bordered by a few sports fields where many inhabitants come to do their gymnastics. Inside the park, a few chaikhanas surround the canal and the large pool where kids come to bathe and take small boat rides.

The palace of Grand Duke Nicolas, the cursed and exiled cousin of the tsar, dates from the 19th century and was transformed for a time into the Pioneers' Palace, then into the Museum of Antiquities and Jewellery. Today it houses the reception rooms of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is the residence of the State's prestigious guests. The magnificent building can be seen very well from the outside. A central space open on three sides is flanked by wings extending to turrets, all in light-coloured brick and enhanced by a beautiful garden.