Things to do
5-
Amir Timur Square
At the centre of the Russian-built grid, a park of plane trees rings an equestrian statue of Timur that replaced a series of earlier occupants, Marx among them. Hotels, a clock tower and a law faculty face the circle. The square works as a crossroads more than a destination, and as the start of a walk along Broadway to the fountains.
-
Chorsu Bazaar
A ribbed blue dome covers the produce market of the old city, which stacks its trade by floor: dairy and pickles below, meat at the centre, spices and dried fruit around the rim. Outside, stalls spread into clothing, hardware and bread ovens. Trade starts early and slows after lunch. Cash is needed, and vendors expect a taste to be accepted before a sale.
-
Hazrati Imam Complex
Tashkent's religious centre gathers a mosque, madrasa and library around a courtyard rebuilt in the 2000s. Its draw is a Quran attributed to the caliph Uthman, among the oldest surviving copies, kept in a darkened room with photography barred. The complex is active, so visits work around prayer times and modest dress is expected at the mosque.
-
State Museum of Applied Arts
A nineteenth-century Russian diplomat's house, carved and painted by Uzbek craftsmen, is itself the main exhibit here, and the rooms of suzani, ceramics and jewellery come second. Ganch plasterwork covers the ceilings of the central hall. It is small, quiet and central, and an hour is plenty. The attached shop sells work by contemporary makers.
-
Tashkent Metro
Built as a Soviet showpiece and doubling as a shelter, the metro gives each station a theme: cosmonauts in blue and gold at Kosmonavtlar, chandeliers and marble at Alisher Navoi, cotton motifs further out. Photography was banned until 2018 and is now allowed. One token or card rides the whole network, which makes a station crawl an easy hour underground.