Tashkent City, the Capital's New Centre: Park and Evening Lights

Not long ago, the site of Tashkent City was covered with low houses and narrow lanes of the old centre. Today it is the capital's most modern district: glass towers, a wide park around a lake, a shopping centre and walkways where half the city strolls in the evening. Here is what to see and how to spend your time well, even if you only have one evening in Tashkent.

Where it is and how it came about

Tashkent City is a business and residential quarter in the city centre, between Navoi Street, Furqat Street and Islam Karimov Avenue (formerly Uzbekistan Avenue). Construction began in the second half of the 2010s on the site of old low-rise housing. The idea was simple: build a new centre with offices, hotels, apartments and a large public park.

For local residents the place stirs mixed feelings, as many remember the vanished neighbourhoods and their atmosphere. For a visitor, though, Tashkent City is a convenient spot to see how modern Uzbekistan is changing.

The metro is the easiest way to get there: the nearest stations are Alisher Navoi, Paxtakor and Uzbekistan, each a few minutes' walk away. In a taxi, just say "Tashkent City Park" and any driver will know it.

Tashkent City Park

The main area for walking is the park at the heart of the quarter. Here you will find:

• a large artificial lake with footbridges and a promenade;
• a musical fountain that runs in the evenings during the warm season;
• lawns where you are allowed to sit, and shady alleys;
• playgrounds and paths that are easy with a pushchair;
• cafes and kiosks selling drinks and ice cream.

During the day the park is calm; after sunset families, young people and tourists arrive. The lighting on the buildings and the water makes it especially photogenic, and it is one of the best places in the city for evening shots of the skyscrapers.

The boulevard and the surroundings

From the park it is easy to walk the neighbouring streets. Wide pavements and green alleys run along the quarter, and familiar landmarks of the old centre are only minutes away:

• the Alisher Navoi Theatre, built in the 1940s, with halls decorated by craftsmen from different regions of the country;
• Mustakillik Square with its fountains and memorials;
• Amir Timur Square and Sayilgoh Street, known as Broadway, a little further east.

In a single evening you can see Tashkent's new centre, its Soviet centre and its historic heart.

How to spend an evening in Tashkent City

A rough plan for three to four hours:

1. Arrive an hour before sunset and walk around the lake while it is still light.
2. Find a spot by the fountain before the evening show starts. It gets busier at weekends, so come early.
3. After the show, have dinner at one of the cafes in the quarter or walk over to the Navoi Theatre.
4. Finish with a stroll to Amir Timur Square, about half an hour on foot.

If you are travelling with children, the park is especially convenient: smooth paths, playgrounds and plenty of room to run around.

Practical tips

• The musical fountain schedule changes with the seasons and may differ between weekdays and weekends, so check on site or ask locals.
• Summer afternoons here are very hot: there is a lot of open space and little shade by the water. The best time is after 18:00.
• Prices in Tashkent City cafes are higher than in ordinary parts of town. If you want a cheap meal, walk a couple of blocks away.
• Swimming in the park's lakes is not allowed.
• On public holidays and at New Year there are big celebrations and it can get very crowded. Keep an eye on your belongings and agree on a meeting point with your companions.

From the new centre onto the road

Tashkent City works well as a last evening in the capital before you set off around the country. If your next stop is Syrdarya Region, the nearest large town there is Gulistan, about 120 km south-west of Tashkent. The drive takes around one and a half to two hours along the highway towards Samarkand.

Yo'ldosh drivers regularly publish shared rides on the Tashkent to Gulistan route. You book a seat with a driver whose profile is verified, agree on a pickup point and leave at a convenient time, without hunting for a car at the bus station. It is usually cheaper than a private taxi over that distance. You can read more about how it works on the for passengers page.

Tashkent City is not the most historic part of the capital, but it may be the most revealing: it shows what Tashkent wants to look like in ten years. Come in the evening when the lights come on, which is the best moment to judge it for yourself.

Cover photo: Glavnogo Upravleniya General'nogo, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons.