Tachkent ( Toshkent or Uzbek Тошкент in , Russian Ташкент in ), is a metropolis of Central Asia, Capitale of the Ouzbékistan. Located at the east of the country, with a few tens of kilometers of the Kazakh border , it counts today more than 2,3 million inhabitants. Administratively, it is at the same time a city (Toshkent Shahri) and the capital of the area of Tachkent (Toshkent Viloyati).

Its name means " citadel of pierre" ( taš : hone in Turkish + kand , kent : city, an center-Asian word ). It also carried, in the past, the names of Tchatch , Shash and Binkent . The two first are related with the word taš which means stone, the second is also at the origin of the words Chéchia and Chèche.

Tachkent is located at. Local time with Tachkent is +5 hours compared to UTC/GMT. The climate of Tachkent is continental, with one relatively soft winter (except a few short periods of cold slightly to the lower part of the zero), usually not very snow-covered and an arid summer with peaks of heat exceeding the 40°C (period known as of chilla enters at the end of July and at the beginning of August).

History

What is called currently Tachkent was founded about fifth century BC as a citadel. The vestiges of Tchatch , first city-state established there is more than 2000 years as large a Oasis thrives, and destroyed at the beginning of the 8th century by the Arab , still remains under the Ming-uriq hill (“Thousand Abricotier S”). For a long time, this city, located on the river banks Tchirtchik, tributary of the Syr-Daria, close to the mountain chain of Tian Shan, was a big step on the Silk route, for the travellers making of the trade between the China and the Europe, the starting point of the caravans going towards the valley of Ferghana, Kashgar and then towards the Empire of the Medium.

The conquerors, the booms and decline followed one another here: Tchatch played the part of a provincial small town, like that of a strong capital. Several centuries during, this city pokes covetousnesses and undergoes the predominance of various conquerors: Shah S Persians, while passing by the hordes of the Huns and the Yuezhi. Before undertaking the countryside of India in 323 av. J. - C., Alexandre Large the leaves his general headquarter with Maracanda (Samarkand) to conquer the citadel in the place of current Tachkent, the south of which, on Jaxartes (Syr-Daria), it ordered the construction of a city-counter and fortress that it would name Alexandria Eskhaté ( extreme ), current the Khodjent with the Tadjikistan.

Not fastener important of the trade and craft industry on the routes of Caravan S, current Tachkent was also the principal pole of the religion of Zoroastrisme until the Arab conquest, following the Bataille of Catholic students at the beginning of the 8th century, was essential there the Islam.

The famous pilgrim Chinese Xuanzang passed towards 631 by Tachkent and Samarkand at the time of his voyage in India in the crowned search of Manuscrit S Buddhist.

As from this time, destruction of Tchatch by the troops of the Arab general Qutayba ibn Muslim towards 715 Tachkent force to be rebuilt more in North, the current site of the districts Khadra, Eski-Djuva and Tchorsu, under the name of Binkent . It found in its turn in the various possessions khalifats Moslem before falling to the hands from the Mongolian at the beginning of the 13th century which completely destroyed it in 1219. Later, it reappears under the reign of the Timourides (15th century) and of the Chaïbanides which succeeded to them starting from 1507, to then long enough carry out an independent existence, inter alia under the reign of Bâbur, before being annexed, in its turn, by the Khanat de Kokand in 1809.

In 1867, after a fulgurating conquest of the Russian troops carried out by the general Mikhaïl Tcherniaïev (1865), Tachkent became the seat of the general government of what was made as a Russian Turkestan. The city sees then the peaceful massive arrival but Russian immigrants, attracted by the lenient climate of this lately conquered Eastern region. Tachkent is then divided new downtown (Russian), green and European, and old city (indigenous), traditional and dusty. In extreme cases of the news and old city, on both sides of the old channel of Ankhor, the modern center of Tachkent was constituted, bordered by administrative buildings and public edifices.

In 1924, the persophone city of Samarkand became the capital of the Soviet socialist République of Ouzbékistan, and until in 1930 remained it, date on which Tachkent was again indicated capital of Ouzbékistan.

During the Second world war, Tachkent accommodated several hundreds of Soviet thousands of families fleeing the invasion hitlérienne in the west, of which multiple orphans of war, which accelerated the Russianization of the city. Part of heavy industries of the European part of the the USSR was also evacuated there (these factories remained in Ouzbékistan after the war, contributing to the industrialization of the republic). Famous Russian poetess Anna Akhmatova, fleeing the Germans as well as Stalin, took refuge in the capital ouzbèke of 1941 with 1945. After the earthquake of 1966 Tachkent took the aspect of a modern city to typically Soviet town planning.

January 4th 1966 was organized in Tachkent the Conference indo - Pakistan ease, which leads to the re-establishment of the diplomatic relations between these two countries. Indian the Prime Minister Lâl Bahâdur Shâstrî dies in Tachkent of an heart attack one day after the signature of the historical agreement with the Pakistani president Muhammad Ayub Khan on January 10th 1966.

Tachkent and its area were severely struck by a Earthquake the April 26th 1966, after which a vast program of rebuilding was launched grace in particular to the participation of all the republics Soviet S. Reconstruite, the city is proud modern and original aspect of its architecture, its parks and its great places and broad which occurred wooded. The city almost not knowing precipitations between September and June, a network of mini-fountains and mini-channels of irrigation ( Oryq S or aryks ) was installed through any Tachkent to sprinkle the grasses and the trees, massively planted in the new districts like, for example, Tchilanzar.

After 1966, the capital ouzbèke knew a considerable expansion, becoming the most populated city and most modern of Central Asia, exceeding by far its rival, the town of Alma-ATA, old capital of the Kazakhstan. Tachkent is from now on an industrial metropolis (machinery agricultural, aeronautical, textile, etc) and cultural ouzbèke, which shelters some universities, several tens of faculties and many theaters and museums. In the years 1960-1980 Tachkent accommodated a prestigious International film festival of Asia, Africa and Latin America.

The February 16th 1999, Tachkent undergoes six explosions, of which a front Parliament, little before the arrival of the president Islom Karimov. The bombs make 16 dead and 130 wounded, and seriously devastated certain governmental buildings and the head office of the national Bank. The authorities believe in an attack against the president and show Islamic mobility. In 2004, two other terrorist acts allotted to the islamist movement Hizb C-Tahrir took place with Tachkent: at the end of March an explosion aiming at the police force occurred on the bazaar of Tchorsu, and at the end of July, of the suicide bombings were perpetrated simultaneously against the embassies of the the United States and Israel. Since, the police force ( militsia ) is omnipresent: controls were reinforced in the popular places and at the exit of the agglomeration. Nevertheless, the political climate returned to the normal and the legislative elections (December 26th 2004 and January 9th 2005) proceeded in the calm one and without incident.

Places of interest, structures and town planning

The town of Tachkent is very famous for its superb markets hall, the “ Bazar ( bozorlari in Uzbek): they are the most picturesque and alive places of the city, of which most known are Oloy (Alaïski), Chorsu, Farhod (Farkhadski), etc, with the abundant displays of grenade S, of Raisin S, dry fruits, scented spice S, Pomme S and Poire S, Tomate S giants or Kaki S, a true treat for the visitor.

The capital ouzbèke is one of the greenest cities of the world, true a Oasis strongly aired, and located between the mountains of Tchimgan and the irrigated valleys of the Tchirtchik and the Syr-Daria. Tachkent is in the middle of a vast agricultural area: the city surrounded by plantations of Cotton, gardens and Vineyard S.

Constructions pre-Soviet

(Note: the names of the historical places tachkentois below mentioned are francized phonetically and differ from their Latin C-W communication ouzbèke, sometimes quoted between paranthèses) Architecture tachkentoise of before the 16th century, when Tachkent became the capital of the Chaïbanides, do not remain, nowadays, that extremely rare vestiges, such as those of the chilla-khana (refuge of heat and living room of the) near the Mausolée of Zaïnoudin-Sore .

The district of Oq-Tepa (Aktépé), in the district of Tchilanzar (South-western of Tachkent), conceals an archeological site close to the river of Boz-penny. The site is composed of a Kourgane 15 m height, is been dependant on the worship of the pantheist , and the vestiges of a strong Château square with 4 turrets dating from the 4th century. The site also has additions of religious use dating from 5th at the 8th century. Any door to believe that Oq-Tepa was a major commercial crossroads of the city ( madina ) of Tchatch.

Towards the end of the 16th century, see the day the madrasa (school Koranic) and the Mosquée Khazret (Khast) Imam (Teliachaïakh) which keeps the fragments of the oldest specimen of the Coran in the world, that of the third Caliph Uthman, the mausoleum of Kaffal Chachi and the madrasa Koukeldach , located at the entry of the old city. The latter was built very traditionally: any madrasa in the Moslem countries has usually a similar aspect. The frontage of the building is decorated with Majolique and the Islamic inscriptions decorate the vault of the one of the entries ( peshtak ) of madrasa. The windows are made with traditional lattices ( will pandjara ) protecting the parts from the burning sun of summer. The wooded interior court of the madrasa finishes with a larger building, surmounted of a dome - darskhona (a room for the courses). The parts distributed around the court, the hudjrs , are used as dwelling to the students, and the lessons are carried out, in general, in the open air in a court of the madrasa, which the local climate allows during most of the year.

The mausoleum of Abou Bakr Moukhammed Kaffal Chachi was built in 1541 with the top of the tomb of Abou Chachi (Abu Shashi) which was one of the first local Islamic prophets, died in 976. In the south of the mausoleum, one finds the madrasa Barak-Khan. The large tomb suffered from the earthquakes but of the elements of its decoration remain always intact. The madrasa was partially rebuilt in the years 1900.

The palate of the prince Romanov was built at the end of the 19th century as a residence of the large-duke Nikolaï Romanov (1850-1917), the cousin of the Russian tsar Nicolas II, banished in Tachkent for some dark businesses implying the jewels of the Russian crown. Its palate always exists with the downtown area in excellent state. Formerly Palate of the pioneers then Museum of the jewelry, it was adapted by the Uzbek Ministry for Foreign Affairs for official receptions.

The district of Cheikhantaour (Sheyhantaur), built by the Master usto rear-Rahim Abd towards 1892, deserves an special attention. It is a remarkable sector of the old city of Tachkent. The entry of Cheikhantaour on the side of the current street Navoï was carried out in square form with four large irregular vaults. The dome which seems cut with the lancet and engraved turrets - the gouldasta - decorate this remarkable structure called " tchortak" .

Soviet era

Large the Theater of opera and ballet Alicher Navoï which bears the name of a famous poet of the Middle Ages, appears among the best theaters of opera of the world. The building itself, work of the architect and Russian academician Alexey Schussev (who also conceived the Mausolée of Lénine to Moscow), are a typical example of Soviet architecture ouzbèke of the middle of the 20th century, combining Stalinist monumentalism and national reasons. Built in 1947 by Japanese prisoners, it supported without damage the earthquake of 1966. The rooms of the theater are superbly decorated works carried out by best Uzbek master craftsmen - östolari - who transformed the hearth of the theater into an original museum of national decorative art.

Among the multiple museums of Tachkent, one of most interesting is the Musée of decorative arts which shelters a wide collection of Céramique S, of cut out wood, textiles, carpet, cast iron, and other craft industries. The Museum of Beautiful arts (gathering some masterpieces of Antique art, Russian painting of the 19th impressionist century and French), the Museum of history , the Museum of Amir Timour (Tamerlan) or the any news Galerie NBU of Modern arts (the two last were built after independence) are also worthy of interest.

The capital ouzbèke is the only town of Central Asia equipped with a subway with which each station is sumptuously decorated according to a particular topic. The first line was inaugurated in 1977, and one counts three today of them.

Among constructions of the Soviet era, that of the Tour TV of Tachkent is remarkable: this single structure which makes 375 meters in height Marie traditional architectures ouzbèke and contemporary. The tower shelters the equipment of radiotelevision and other types of communication, as well as revolving restaurant. It is the 9th higher round the world tour.

Recent period

Since the independence obtained in 1991, and surtous in the years 2000, the Uzbek president Islom Karimov initiated a vast program of urban rebuilding, supposed to give to the city an aspect even more modern. This town-planning combines the traditions of Islamic architecture to the monumental classicism, with an aim of illustrating the revival of the nation and the radiant desired future of a regional economic power.

Many efforts of construction concentrate on the buildings of the bodies of the capacity and the banks. Among them, let us quote in particular some lately built imposing buildings, with colonnades and cupolas of bright colors, such as the National Assembly, Town hall ( Toshkent Shahri Hokimiyati ) ( Oliy Majlis ) or the presidential White Palate ( Oq Saroy ), hidden glance of the simple mortals. The building of the Cabinet of the Ministers (Government), seriously damaged after the attacks of 1999, like that of the Parliament, were entirely remade according to the personal tastes of president Karimov, while the old symbol of the city, the double turn which was, like the two others, on the Place of independence ( Mustaqillik Maydoni ), the vastest place of the type Agora in Central Asia, was dismantled.

A network of fast tracks and nodes of transport were created through any Tachkent, in order to unchoke an automobile traffic in constant increase, and to accelerate the access to the peripheral districts. Several modern buildings covered with tinted panes emerged along the road axes; most remarkable is undoubtedly the tower of Bank NBU (high 108 m, which makes of it the most building of Central Asia), built not far from a complex of businesses and hotels, a sporting center and two amusement parks. ( Tashkentland and Akva-park ).

The central Public garden ( Markaziy Hiyobon ), designed at the end of the 19th century, with its Plane tree S centenaries, was superbly renovated; it gives access to the most popular mall Sayilgoh in the city, semi-officially called " Broadway".

In the years the 2004-2006 historical center of Tachkent continued to change. The gone Tchorsou and the place Eski Djuva were renovated and a Center of the mode was built in their neighborhoods with respect of the neighbouring old style inherited the time of the Timourides. The famous religious center of the 10th century Khazrati Imam (Khast Imom) , concealing the burial of the Moslem saint Abou Bakr Moukhammad Khaffola Chochi, cardinalement was also cardinalement restored within the very short times. Several other religious centers were restored or built with great ways resulting from the public funds or were deprived, and this in spite of a thankless struggle which the Uzbek president against islamist mobilities in the country carries out.

In the neighborhoods of Tachkent

Several places of interest are apart from the enclosure of the town of Tachkent.

With 60km in the North-East, one discovers the area of Bostandyk which one calls the subtropical zone of the Tian Shan because of the constant heat who reigns there all the year, the mountains protecting it from the cold winds of north; moisture is there favourable with the orchards, the vine and the walnut trees. The chief town of this area, Tchimgan , is the most famous place of holiday of Ouzbékistan, an important center of the winter sports of mountain. Not far from there, the artificial lake of Tcharvak offers majestic landscapes and a rest area appreciated of the townsmen fleeing the estival heat of the capital.

Twinnings

Internal bonds

External bonds

  • Tachkent on French Wikitravel
  • Tachkent on English Wikitravel (more complete)
  • Tachkent - Advantour
  • Photographs of Tachkent (very slow site)
  • Plane of Tachkent
  • Geographical ascriptions of the town of Tachkent and its districts
  • Plane of Tachkent
  • History of Tachkent

Simple: Tashkent

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