Photos of Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan

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Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan

Tashkent (Toshkent in Uzbek) is the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan; it is also the city with the largest population in Central Asia, over 2.3 million. It is a multi-ethnic city with ethnic Uzbeks in the majority. An ancient city, it celebrated its 2,200 years of written history in 2009. Tashkent was influenced by the Sogdian (ancient Iranian civilisation) and Turkic cultures in its early history, before Islam in the 8th century CE. In those days the city and its surroundings were known as Chach. During the time of Turkic Kara-Khanid rule in the 10th century, the present name started to come in use (“Tash” means “Stone”, hence “City of Stone”) came in use and after the 16th century “Chachkand” had evolved into Tashkand. Under Russian influence it became to be spelled as “Tashkent”; the Uzbek spelling is “Toshkent”.

Chorsu Bazaar
 
Chorsu Bazaar
 
Inside  Chorsu Bazaar
 
Selling
 
Eggs for sale
 
In Chorsu Bazaar
 
Shops near Chorsu Bazaar
 
Kukeldash Madrasah
 
Portal, Kukeldash Madrasah
 
Kukeldash Madrasah yard
 
Khoja Akhrar Mosque
 
Alisher Navoiy Opera Theatre
 
International Hotel Tashkent
 
Tashkent Television Tower
 
Palace of International Forums
 
Hotel Uzbekistan
 
Amir Temur monument
 
Amir Temur monument
 
Museum of the Timurid History
 
Amir Temur painting
 
Resisting the Russians
 
Flea market
 
Paintings for sale
 
Palace of Duke Romanov
 
Palace of Duke Romanov
 
Parliament of Uzbekistan
 
Alisher Navoi National Park
 
Monument, Alisher Navoi Park
 
Boating in Alisher Navoi Park
 
Dodgem cars, Alisher Navoi Park
 
To Alisher Navoi statue
 
Parliament of Uzbekistan
 
Culture and Art Exhibition Building
 
Museum of Railway Technics
 
Steam locomotive
 
Curcus building
 
Hast Imam Square
 
Hazrat Imam Mosque
 
Hazrat Imam Mosque terrace
 
Hazrat Imam Mosque dome
 
Hast Imam complex
 
Hast Imam Centre
 
In the Barakhan Madrasah
 
Tashkent Islamic University
 
Ministry of Agriculture
 
Concert Hall Turkiston
 
Tashkent Earthquake monument
 
O'zbek Liboslari Galereyasi
 

The city was destroyed by the Mongols under Genghis Khan in 1219 an much of its population was lost, but it was rebuilt and its population and culture revived during Timurid and Shaybanid dynastic rule, between the 14th and 17th century. It became an important centre of culture, scholarship, culture and trade along the Silk Road. At the beginning of the 19th century the independent city-state was considered the richest city in Central Asia, with around 100,000 inhabitants. It was annexed by the Khanate of Kokand in 1809; during the first half of the 19th century it traded with Russia and prospered, although it was heavily taxed by Kokand.

In May 1865 Tashkent was attacked by Russian forces and after two days of heavy fighting and thousands of dead among the defenders (including the ruler of the Kikand Khanate, Alinqul) it was captured and two years later became the capital of Russian Turkestan. In Soviet times, Tashkent witnessed major growth and demographic changes due to forced deportations from throughout the Soviet Union and industries were set up in the 1920s and 1930s; many scientific and engineering facilities were established in the Soviet period. On 26 April 1966 much of the old city was destroyed by an earthquake. More than 300,000 residents were left homeless, because around 78,000 poorly engineered homes, mainly traditional adobe houses were destroyed. The city was rebuilt as a model Soviet city with wide streets, plazas, monuments and huge apartment blocks. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Tashkent was its fourth-largest city.

Now the capital of an independent Uzbekistan, many changes have taken place, Soviet-style icons replaced with new developments, emphasising its pre-Soviet culture. Timur (Amir Temur) is now its national hero, rather than Lenin and the city is known as a cultural capital of the Islamic world, with its numerous historic mosques and significant Islamic sites, including the Islamic University. New parks have been constructed, large hotels and shops, but the Soviet-style apartment blocks still remain as well. The Tashkent Metro, built after the earthquake of 1966, is fast and efficient, with beautifully ornate stations. It has presently three lines and extensions are planned.