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Capital and largest city of Uzbekistan
Photo: ssr (talk), Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Tashkent (Uzbek: Toshkent or Тошкент; Russian: Ташкент) is the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan, with a population of just over 3 million in 2024. It was an ancient city on the Silk Road, the network of trading routes between China and Europe, but what you see now is mostly modern - it was wrecked by an earthquake in 1966 and rebuilt in Soviet style, with humdrum medium-raise lining interminable boulevards. It's the national transport hub and many visitors are just passing through on the way to Samarkand and Bukhara, but there's plenty of interest here to reward staying a few days.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
This building of 1857 houses the world's oldest Quran, written 644/648 AD (23-27 AH).
This yellow-brick madrasah was built in 1570 by the vizier, scientist and poet Kulbobo Kukeldash - Kukeldash means "the Khan's foster brother'. It's been a caravanserai, fort and museum but since the 1990s is again a madrasah. It's ranged around a large courtyard with hujras (pupils' cells) and darshakona and mosque in the corners.
This madrassa was erected in 1850 in honour of the scholar Abdulkhasim Khan. It's now a crafts outlet.
Sheikh Zayniddin Jami Mosque
Huge mosque rebuilt in the 1990s. In the garden behind is the mausoleum of Sheikh Zayniddin, a Sufi holy man. He lived in the 12th-13th centuries but the mausoleum is 16th century, rebuilt in the 19th.
Russian Orthodox cathedral built in 1871. It was closed down by the Soviets but restored in 1945, and enlarged in the 1990s with the bell tower rebuilt in 2010.
Built in 1899 to serve the city's German community. Under the communists it was variously a warehouse, opera studio and concert hall, then re-consecrated in the 1990s. It is not open to the public except for attending services.
Roman Catholic church first built as a chapel for Polish prisoners of war in 1884. A larger church took shape from 1912 but was suppressed by the Bolsheviks. In the 1930s the parish priest held secret masses here, hiding in plain sight, until the communists had him shot. It had a series of secular uses and became derelict, but was re-built from 1993, re-consecrated in 2000 and promoted to cathedral in 2005.
Built in the 1880s, this is large and tranquil but fairly plain.
Grand mosque in gleaming white marble, built in 2013/4 in traditional style. "Minor" means minarets but the mosque is named for its neighbourhood of that name.
Temuriylar Tarixi Davlat Muzeyi
Timur (1336 – 1405) was the brutal and brilliant nomad warrior who united much of central Asia under his rule and laid waste far beyond. He was badly injured while livestock-rustling in childhood, hence his western name of Tamerlane, Timur the lame. When Uzbekistan became independent in 1991 its rulers sought a national cultural narrative and legitimacy, and fastened upon Timur. This grand building opened in 1996 is as much a shrine and political statement as a museum.
This mostly displays antique and Soviet-era cars.
Davlat Amaliy San'at Muzeyi
Charming small museum of traditional arts and crafts, in a 19th-century merchant's mansion.
Exhibitions of contemporary Uzbek artists in a modern building. Overpriced for what you get.
Oʻzbekiston Davlat Sanʼat Muzeyi
Large collection of Russian and European art, many depicting Uzbek people and their lifestyle and antiquities. The previous curator should be out of jail by now, he served a long sentence for selling the works on the black market and replacing them with copies. No info on the length of the temporary closure, which is possibly to stop him having another go.
Oʻzbekiston tarixi davlat muzeyi
The first floor is a small exhibition area, the second covers from the Stone Age to the takeover by the Soviet Union, and the third is dedicated to independent Uzbekistan from 1990. Signage is in Uzbek, Russian and English, but patchy and dimly lit. The museum has been closed for refurbishment since June 2024 with no word on timescale.
Ali-Shir Nava'i or Alisher Navoi (1441-1501) was an administrator, poet and prolific author who wrote in Turkic (predecessor to a family of languages that includes Uzbek) and proclaimed its superiority over Persian the official language. He lived mostly in Herat (now in Afghanistan) but became a cultural hero across the entire Turkic world, with dozens of statues, draughty boulevards and institutes nowadays named after him. This museum displays manuscripts and artworks.
Ikuo Hirayama (平山 郁夫, 1930-2009) painted dreamy scenes of the Silk Road across central Asia. His legacy funded this exhibition space for contemporary Uzbek art, his own work isn't displayed here.
Extensive display of equipment, much of it in working order, with signage in English, Russian and Uzbek.
Changing art exhibitions, not necessarily photos.
Ming O'rik means "thousand apricot trees" and was groves and hillocks until flattened for 19th century city expansion. Here they stumbled upon the remains of an adobe village from 5th century AD. Take the bus along Amir Temur towards the railway station and don't head for Ming O'rik Metro, which is 1 km west.
Soviet locos and rolling stock from 1940-60s that you can clamber aboard. W-Su they may have a loco moving. No signage on when and how these trains were deployed.
Within the Memorial Park, this documents those killed by the Soviets and is silent on post-independence repression. No English signage so you can't read the stories of the individuals shown.
Small gallery with exhibitions and sales.
Oh-so-Seventies structure looking like the offspring of a triffid with a moon shot, this 375 m tower beams radio and TV to all parts of the country. The observation deck is at 97 m, and the restaurant at 110 m lurches part-way round then backtracks. Long lines at weekends, book online if feasible, and bring your passport.
This cod-classical bling mansion was the residence of the country's first President, Islam Karimov (1938-2016). He was an engineer who worked his way up the communist hierarchy and then upon independence ran a regime every bit as brutal and oppressive. He was re-elected again and again by rigged ballots. The mansion is now government offices, no visits, but is flanked by a small museum to his glory open Tu-Su.
Large walk-through aquarium with a variety of habitats and the obligatory shark.
Tranquil wooded garden over 66 hectares, the autumn colours are glorious.
100 year-old zoo, cramped by today's standards.
Ancient settlement on a mound protected by a moat. The structures are mud brick so they're crumbly and subsiding.
Mosque, madressah and burial place of 13th century Sheikh Aj-Hodzha, nicknamed Zengi-Ata meaning black.
Large popular park with fairground and artificial lake.
Pleasant park with a boating lake.
Water park 500 m south of TV tower with several pools, wave machine, water chutes and slides. There's a restaurant and bars within.
Small and overpriced for a few rocks and cherry blossoms.
Leafy park with boating pond and small funfair.
They play in Super League at Milliy Stadium (capacity 34,000), 5 km southwest of city centre.
They too play in Super League, and often win it. Pakhtakor Stadium (capacity 35,000, all-seater) is also used for junior internationals such as U21. It's very central, barely 500 m west of Independence Square.
They too play in Super League. The stadium (capacity 8500) is part of a multi-sports complex sprawling over 1 km x 0.5 km.
Neoclassical 1940s structure, built by Japanese prisoners of war.
No online ticket sales, you have to go to the Box Office.
Театр Марка Вайля Ильхом
Progressive theatre, performances are in Russian.
Most shows are for kids.
O‘zbek milliy akademik drama teatri
Lively theatre.
Sirk
Still putting on trad shows in a 1976 futuristic building.
This is sad and run down, as it's set in the former Abdulla Kadiri Recreation Park, which has closed for re-development.
Turkiston Sanʼat Saroyi
Concert hall in a modern Soviet confection, reasonable facilities, events inexpensive by western standards.
O'zbekiston Yoshlar Teatri
Grand Soviet building, uncomfortable seats, but a lively company.
Coffee shop with cakes and local food.
Relaxed cafe near the concert hall and government quarter.
Busy, somewhat chaotic place but it serves great plov. Far better value than the restaurant in the TV tower.
Acceptable place by the park.
Good reviews for their trad Uzbek food.
Big portions of high quality central Asian, Chinese and European food.
Quality Korean food.
Cosy chain pizzeria serving the usual Italian staples.
Good Georgian restaurant.
Family-friendly chain restaurant by the eco-park.
"Ye Old" is the warning that this is overpriced and not remotely like a London pub, but aiming for how they think the punters would imagine one.
This is primarily a beer store with a few tables where you can sit and drink.
Pleasant small guesthouse by Chorsu Bazaar.
Welcoming small guesthouse in the suburbs.
Friendly small hotel with 34 rooms.
Maintenance needed, but overall comfy enough. With pool and sauna. Some noise from street and nightclub.
Hotel in a quiet area, adequate for what you pay.
Adequate place in a quiet area.
Trad Soviet-era hotel showing its age.
Great Soviet slab, a piece of city history, slowly getting a makeover. Very central, mostly good reviews, though the aircon struggles on hot days. Their website is only in Uzbek and Russian, and they don't respond to enquiries in English.
Mostly good reviews, some facilities tired.
Mixed reviews for comfort and service.
Гран Мир
Business hotel, mixed reviews for comfort and cleanliness.
Comfy and central but poor service and cuisine.
Pleasant hotel around a courtyard and pool.
Friendly hotel with Indian restaurant, most rooms spacious but others poky.
Modern hotel near Expo, mostly good scores for comfort and service, some gripes with over-zealous security.
Efficient central chain hotel.
Korean-owned, clean, comfy and central, good food.
Eski Juva
The biggest, best and oldest bazaar in Central Asia, trading here for over 2000 years. The stalls are under seven tiled domes. Beneath the largest dome are spices, fruit and veg, while the smaller domes house craft workshops, for jewelry, fancy wear, pottery and carpets. South side by Beruni Ave is a food court, lined by sheep's heads staring reproachfully through a fug of charcoal brazier smoke.
Beautifully laid out displays of local produce, dried fruit and nuts. It's close to tourist hotels so they're quick to inflate prices if you look touristy.
Large fresh produce market in a modern building.
Hippodrome
Busy mall in modern buildings, merging into Chilonzor shopping centre.
Large covered market.
Large covered market
MUM
Little changed since it was a Soviet GUM store, this has fair prices for souvenirs.
In a plain building a block south of Chorsu bazaar.
Small collection of independent retailers.
Department store with a wide selection.
Opened in March 2024, this is the largest shopping mall in Uzbekistan. It has the major international brands.
Ceramic studio with pricey but attractive wares.
Well-stocked souvenir shop with a range of quality crafts.
Up-market souvenir shop
By train
From Russia, Train 123 runs from Volgograd on Tuesday and Friday, taking almost 60 hours. It also stops in Qarshi and Samarkand but you can't ride it just for the Uzbek sector.
By bus
Shared taxis supplement the buses for inter-city journeys. They wait at the main railway station and the bus station and set off whenever they have enough passengers to make the drive profitable.
By road
The main roads are in reasonable condition and most driving behaviour is sane, this isn't the Middle East.
By bus
The main downtown public transport is the bus - these are lime green, and their destination boards alternate between Russian and Uzbek.
By taxi
Best way to hire a taxi is via your hotel reception, as these will be honest, metered and understand where you want to go.
By scooter
You can find a vast network of various scooters (samokats) spread around the town, which you can rent using their respective applications, and easily travel around the city with them, for example…
By car
You're unlikely to use a car within Tashkent, and you'd have to consider proximity and security of parking lots.
On foot
Tashkent is a low- to medium-rise sprawl and distances are considerable.
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Tashkent · International · TAS
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