Located between Independence Square and the Monument of Courage, directly across the street from Tashkent's Crying Mother Monument, the Palace of Arts "Turkiston" is another of the Uzbek capital city's most imposing Soviet era monuments visitors will find hard to miss. Construction started in the final days of the USSR, but was derailed by lack of … Continue reading Day 20: Palace of Arts – Turkistan
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Day 21: Uzbek Wine
Uzbekistan is hardly world renowned for its contribution to the global viticulture industry, but grapes have been cultivated in Central Asia for more than 2,000 years. Zoroastrians were famous for their wine making skills, and this tradition survived the muslim conquest into the later middle ages, under Russian Imperial influence, during Soviet times, and through … Continue reading Day 21: Uzbek Wine
Day 29: Lada Power!
If Chevrolet has a near monopoly on new car sales in Uzbekistan, Lada takes the top prize for pride in ownership, and raw Soviet aesthetic. Few cars have maintained the same basic body style as long as the iconic Lada 2100 series, production lasting from 1970 to 2012, an amazing 42 years. Not the only … Continue reading Day 29: Lada Power!
Day 30: Tashkent Metro
Tashkent residents are very proud of their metro system. What it lacks in size, it makes up for in being one of the most beautiful in the world. When it opened in 1977, the Tashkent Metro was the 7th in the USSR, and the first in Central Asia. The latter held true until the opening … Continue reading Day 30: Tashkent Metro
Day 33: Tashkent TV Tower
Soaring into the skies above the Uzbek Capital, the Tashkent TV Tower tops out at 375 meters (1,230.3 ft), making it the 3rd tallest tower in the former Soviet Union, and is currently ranked the 12th tallest tower in the world. Like the CN Tower in Toronto, and the Fernsehturm in Berlin, the Tashkent TV … Continue reading Day 33: Tashkent TV Tower
Day 34: Parkent Solar Furnace
Just an hour and a half outside Tashkent, a fascinating Soviet relic sits perched on a hillside near the village of Changikhisarak. One of the Soviet Wonders of the World, the физика-солнце, literally "Physics Sun" Institute of Uzbekistan, is the second biggest solar furnace in the world surpassed only by the Odeillo solar furnace in the Pyrenees … Continue reading Day 34: Parkent Solar Furnace
Day 35: Yangiobod Bazaar
Much more than just a flea market, Yangiobod Bazaar is a treasure trove for basically anything you could possibly ever want, or think you might want. For collectors of Soviet era memorabilia, this place is a gold mine. Bargains to be had, and savvy dealers swapping propaganda pins, watches, medals, coins, old and rare books, … Continue reading Day 35: Yangiobod Bazaar
Day 47: Navoi
When Soviet planners were considering a location to process the output of the rich gold and uranium deposits of Uzbekistan, rather than build new infrastructure in an existing city, the USSR Ministry of Atomic Energy instead chose to lay out a brand new city from scratch in the valley of the Zeravshan River about 100km … Continue reading Day 47: Navoi
Day 64: Independence Square
Like Amir Timur Square nearby, Independence Square in central Tashkent has a long and interesting history. Known today as "Mustaqillik Maydoni", the square, which is actually more of a large city park, used to be nothing more than a dusty frontier just outside the gates of the old city. Following the defeat of the Khanate of … Continue reading Day 64: Independence Square
Day 71: Navoi Theater
The "Alisher Navoi State Academic Bolshoi Theatre" by its official name, is the main opera house of Tashkent and one of the most famous buildings of Soviet era Uzbekistan. The theater is named after the 15th century Uzbek poet, Alisher Navoi who is well known for his lyrical legacy, many of which have since been … Continue reading Day 71: Navoi Theater
Intentionally International 