8 of Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s Most Fascinating Tourist Attractions

Some of you visiting Tashkent, Uzbekistan may be signed up with a tour company that will lead you around the city showing you some popular tourist attractions. This is a great option of course with lots of advantages such as having a guide that can tell you about the various places you visit. However, a lot of travelers these days arrive in Tashkent, hang out in the city for a day or two, and then leave to travel the rest of the country either with a tour company or independently. If you find yourself on your own in Tashkent, Uzbekistan for a day or two and are interested in checking out the sites, here are several attractions in Tashkent that might be of interest to you.

TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

#1 Chorsu Bazaar

Probably the most visited of all Tashkent tourist attractions is Chorsu Bazaar. This bazaar is located in Old Town and is a wonderfully authentic taste of Uzbek life, full of activity and color. Wander around piles and piles of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and spices in the food section and branch out to even find items like leather jackets and household goods. Bargaining is possible in this Tashkent tourist attraction, even up to 40 percent. Easily accessible from the Tashkent Metro, this is an ideal place for beautiful photography opportunities and great deals. Chorsu Bazaar is open from about 8am-6pm.

#2 Kukeldash Madrassah

This Islamic School is located right next to Chorsu Bazaar, so if you are making a stop at the bazaar, hit this historical site as well. Each city in Uzbekistan has a main ensemble and the Kukeldash Madrassah is part of Tashkent’s. Another one of the main attractions in Tashkent, this madrassah was built in 1570, suffered through some earthquake damage, was renovated in the 20^th century, and serves as a major site in Tashkent to this day.

#3 Museum of Miniature Art

Of all Tashkent tourist attractions, this museum gets very little attention, but it is definitely has a unique personality and is worth a look! This museum highlights the works of talented artist Kamolidden Behzad and focuses on the art of miniature painting. The museum contains roughly 500 exhibits that include miniatures, books, and manuscripts amongst other historical items.

#4 Botanical Gardens

Tashkent’s Botanical Gardens add a lovely splash of color to the city and are a fantastic stop for travelers with an interest in nature. The gardens contain over 4,500 tree, flower, shrub, vine, and other plant species separated into 5 different sections representing different geographical sections of the world. It is the largest and oldest botanical garden in all of Central Asia. The gardens are open from 10am-5pm every day of the week except Monday. If you are interested in a guided tour of the gardens, you will need to make advanced arrangements with the staff (+998 71 289 1060).

#5 State Museum of Temurid’s History

This museum is one of the most interesting Tashkent attractions for history buffs. Temurid, otherwise known as Timur or Tamerlane, was the famous (or infamous) Turkic conqueror whose empire swept from India to Russia to the Mediterranean Sea in the 14^th century. There are 2,000+ items on exhibit at this museum from Temurid’s empire including ancient armor, books, astrological instruments, jewelry, military uniforms, and even musical instruments.

#6 Aqua Park

Kid-friendly tourist attractions in Tashkent, Uzbekistan are a little more difficult to find, but certainly not nonexistent. If you are traveling with children who need a break from museums and mosques, the Tashkent Aqua Park is a fabulous option, especially in the summer. The Aqua Park contains several different pools, a wave machine, various slides, and a hot tub. Just be aware that tickets to enter the park are only good for 3 hours and the park is closed on Mondays. Otherwise, the park opens at 10am and stops allowing entrance at 6pm all the other days of the week.

#7 Applied Arts Museum

There are several cozy little tourist attractions in Tashkent that are tucked away around the city and this is one of them. The Applied Arts Museum has an entrance that immediately opens up into a courtyard. The rest of the building is set up like a square horseshoe around the courtyard and displays items such as pottery, textiles, suzani (embroidered textiles), knives, wood carvings, porcelain, national garments, jewelry, musical instruments and more. In the courtyard you can sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee, browse through a small gift shop, or chat with local artisans.

#8 Tashkent Clock Towers

Another of the interesting attractions Tashkent has to offer is the identically made Tashkent Clock Towers. These prominent structures combine both classic and modern elements of Uzbek architecture. Besides looking cool, inside the towers you can find collections of Uzbek art, antiques, ancient jewelry, pottery, etc. Some local art schools also display some of their work in the form of ceramics, wood carvings, and other crafts. This is a great Tashkent attraction to check out if you want to see some ancient arts and crafts mixed with modern pieces; it’s the best of both worlds in a super cool location!

THE ATTRACTIONS IN TASHKENT THAT ATTRACT YOU!

Obviously, visiting all 8 of these Tashkent attractions is not doable in a single day. While some of you may be in Tashkent for a few days dealing with embassies or acquiring visas for neighboring countries, many people just spend a day or so in the capital city. If this is the case for you, hitting 2-4 of these destinations should be manageable depending on how long you like to linger at each place. Just leave your hotel with a plan, a charged camera battery, plenty of cash for souvenirs, and enjoy hitting the hot spots in Tashkent!

 Photos from sources: www.globerrovers-magazine.com, www.blog.011now.com, www.eurasia.travel, photo by supplier SR1408, photos by supplier SR14o4