Tashkent

Tashkent Cafe	Tashkent Subway	Tashkent Airport	Tashkent Artist Hall

A new building	A fountain	Theater Square	Lenin Museum	Lenin Street

The capital of Uzbekistan and the largest city in Central Asia.  Tashkent lies in the northeastern part of Uzbekistan.  The city probably dates from the 2 nd or the 1 st century BC and was variously known as Dzhadzh, Chachkent, Shashkent and Binkent; the name Tashkent, which means "stone village" in Uzbek, was first mentioned in the 11 th century.

Each of the names is a part of the city's history. Tashkent has always been an important international transport junction. Unfortunately, only a small part of its architectural past is preserved, due to demolition of historical and religious buildings after the revolution of 1917 and a massive earthquake in 1966. Some old buildings lie in the old town to the west of the downtown. A myriad of narrow winding alleys, it stands in sharp contrast to the more modern Tashkent. Of interest among the older buildings are the 16 th century Kukeldash Madrassah, which is being restored as a museum, and the Kaffali-Shash Mausoleum. Many of the Islamic sites in Tashkent, like Khast-Imam structure, are not open to non-Muslims, and visitors should always ask permission before entering them.

An important center of trade and handicrafts on the caravan routes to Europe and the Orient, the city was conquered by the Arabs at the beginning of the 8th century and later became part of the possessions of various Muslim ruling lines before falling to the Mongols in the early 13th century.  It was subsequently ruled by the Timurids and Shaybanids and then led an independent existence before being annexed by the khanate of Kokand in 1809.  When it was captured by the Russians in 1865, it was a walled city of some 70000 inhabitants and already a leading center of trade with Russia. In 1867 it was made the administrative center of the new governorate-general of Turkistan, and a new European city grew up beside the old native one.  Soviet rule was established by Russians colonists in November 1917 after an armed uprising.  Tashkent remained the capital of the new republic of Turkistan in the U.S.S.R., but when the later was split in 1924, Samarkand became the first capital of Uzbekistan Republic.  The capital was transferred to Tashkent in 1930.

While Tashkent is a huge city, it was never an Islamic capital and lacks the architectural ensembles for which Bukhara and Samarkand are renowned.  Largely rebuilt after a devastating earthquake in April 1966, Tashkent today is characterized by modern buildings which mix decorative motifs of Uzbek and western architecture, and by an abundance of parks and greenery along wide thoroughfares. In the center of town is a park surrounding the Navoi Opera Theater, designed by Schusev in 1947. 

Of Tashkent's several museums, the most interesting is the Museum of Decorative Arts with an extensive collection of ceramics, carved wood, textiles, carpets, metalwork, and other handicrafts. There is also an art Gallery and Uzbek History Museum. In the northwest part of town there are several 15th and 16th century religious buildings.  The 16th century in Tashkent was a time of great cultural flourishing and of grand building projects.   The Kukeldash Madrassah was built in 1560 as a Moslem theological college.  Kukeldash was a local ruler, religious enlightener as a poet.

Near it on the square stands 15th century Djuma Mosque, totally rebuilt in 18th and 19th century.  The square used to be an execution place and it's said that unfaithful wives were sewn into sacks and then thrown down from the top of the building. Abu Bakr Muhammed Kafal Shashi Mausoleum was built in 1541 for the grave of Abu Bakr Muhammed Kafal Shashi who was the first local Islamic prophets who died in 976. To the south of the Mausoleum is the Barak-Khan Madrassah grew from two mausoleum chambers which were later incorporated into the madrassah.  The large tomb was built in 1531 has suffered from earthquake but elements of its decoration still remain.  The madrassah was restored in the early 1900's.

Today Tashkent is a main economic and cultural center of Central Asia.  The city lies in the most industrially developed part of Uzbekistan and much of its industry is in some way connected with cotton.

UNDERGROUND

MAIN ATTRACTIONS

1. Kukeldash Madrassah
2. Kaffal-Shashi Mausoleum (XV secolo)
3. Architectural ensemble of Hazrati (Saint) Imom (XVI secolo)
4. Abul Kasim Madrassah (XIX secolo)
5. Barak-han Madrassah (XVI secolo)
6. Amir Temur Square
7. Khast Imom Square
8. Chorsu Bazar

MUSEUMS

THEATRES

Navoi Opera & Ballet Theatre Not only is this a venue for some of the cheapest classical opera outside the Covent Garden piazza, it's also the only Soviet building in Tashkent with any personality. The interior is itself a museum, its Soviet brashness hidden behind a veneer of regional artistic styles a different one in each room - executed by the best artisans of the day, under the direction of the architect who did Lenin's tomb in Moscow .

 Links

http://www.tashkent.org/

http://www.advantour.com/uzbekistan/tashkent.htm