Evangelical Lutheran Church

Leafy park with boating pond and small funfair.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.