Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Tashkent, Uzbekistan: Uzbek capital
The state capital Tashkent is the only metropolis in Uzbekistan with a population of over a million and is the center for education, culture, research, science and industry. With an area of almost 450,000, Uzbekistan is significantly larger than Germany. In Tashkent, 2.5 million inhabitants live in a total of eleven districts in an area of around 340 square kilometers. The distance from Frankfurt to Tashkent is 4,700 kilometers by plane from airport to airport. The flight time lasts ten to twelve hours with a stopover including check-in and check-out. Whether as a business, vacation or study trip; the Uzbek capital Tashkent is definitely worth one or more trips.
Sights with buildings, museums and parks
Tashkent has always been a well-known and sought-after location, due to its location on the Silk Road as a trade route from the Mediterranean to Central and East Asia. The city’s landmark is the 375 meter high television tower. It was completed in the mid-1980s after ten years of construction and is visible from afar at an altitude of 490 meters. Two revolving restaurants and a viewing platform are the attraction with panoramic views over the city. Today’s Jumba Mosqueis in the same place as the original Juma Mosque from the 1400s. It was destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries, the last time in 2008. Several remarkable mausoleums are spread over the urban area of Tashkent. They include:
- the Halfo Bobo mausoleum
- the Unus-chan mausoleum
- the Qualdirghochbiv mausoleum
- the Saineddin Baba mausoleum.
These historical-monumental tombs from the past centuries give a variety of insights into the history of the city and of Uzbekistan. A monument as an urban landmark commemorates the devastating earthquake of 1966.
In the northwest of Tashkent is the old town, known and worth experiencing through the Chorsu Bazaar, the old town bazaar. Here in the old town there is still a typical oriental ambience and flair. Uzbek national dishes that are also served here include plov and shashlik.
Visitors interested in culture can choose from the following museums on their study trip to Tashkent:
- Amir Timur Museum
- Railway museum
- Museum of Applied Arts
- National History Museum
- State Art Hall
The city zoo in the east of the city is one of the destinations for sightseeing, as is the Navoiy recreation and adventure park with an artificial lake, rides, restaurants and cafes. Amir Timur Park, Aquapark and Japanese Garden complete the range of recreational areas in the city that are worth seeing and experiencing.
Sister city of Berlin
The two capitals have been twinned since 1993. The high status of Tashkent within Islam is emphasized by the fact that one of the oldest editions of the Koran is archived here. The ancient city of Samarquand in the east of Tashkent is one of the oldest of its kind in the world with its mosques, mausoleums and Koran schools. This includes parks and green spaces both in the city center and in the outer districts and districts.
Tashkent offers today’s visitor a previously unknown mix of a modern city on the one hand and a flair of bygone centuries on the other. The two often flow into one another. Both tourists and study travelers will find a lot of entertaining and interesting information for their individual interests. Shopping is just as possible as visiting the reading room of one of the universities or a library.
The best time to travel to Tashkent are the months outside of the hot summer and the sensitive cold winter weeks. In autumn, the fresh harvest of fruit and vegetables is offered in the bazaars and markets at harvest time. The frequency of precipitation is particularly high in the months of November to March. The ski and winter sports area Chimgon is just under 100 kilometers away at an altitude of 1,600 meters. It is known far beyond the country and outside the winter sports season the destination for extensive hiking or trekking through the Chatkal Mountains.
