Pe Drumul Matasii in Uzbekistan 3. O plimbare prin Tashkent (1) / On the Silk Road in Uzbekistan 3. Walking in the City (1)

 Uzbekistan, a country of 447000 sq.km and over 26 million inhabitants, occupied the central part of Central Asia, in a region forming the so called Turkestan. Inhabited since immemorial times, this territory witnessed the campaigns of Alexander the Great, was conquered by Arabs in the 7th-8th centuries (who brought here Islam, which took the place of Buddhism), was invaded by the Mongol hoardes of Genghis Han in the 13^th century, and then (14th century) has seen the increase of the Timur’s empire. Between the 16^th-19^th centuries the territory was dominated by the three khanates of Khiva, Bukhara and Kokand. Starting the second part of the 19^th century, it was conquered by the tsar Russia, which transformed it into protectorate, its capital at Tashkent. Uzbekistan was created in 1924, and it took the same course as the other former Soviet republics, as part of the Soviet Union. On 1st September 1991 it declared its independence. 


The great richnesses, which attracted so many conquerers, are cotton, gold, uranium and natural gas.

Tashkent, the antique town built on the Silk Road, was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake, on 1966. It was reconstructed with help of the other Soviet republics, which sent here their best architects. Their influence in constructions are still to be seen in the block of flats, called by the locals “hruschiovka”

There are new and modern buildings as well, and also a small part of the old Tashkent remained. So, everybody has something to see in Tashkent. We were amazed to see how many parks and fountains they have there! It is a green, lovely city!

From our hotel window, we saw the big Amir Temur Square. In a single day one cannot see so many things, so we planned to go and see what it is possible at walking distance, before to begin the tour, the next day. What we saw, follows in the next episodes.


Uzbekistanul, o tara care se intinde pe o suprafata de mai bine de 447000 km patrati si are o populatie de peste 26 milioane de oameni, ocupa chiar centrul Asiei Centrale, zona cunoscuta in istorie ca Turkestan. Locuit din timpuri stravechi, acest pamant a fost martorul campaniilor lui Alexandru cel Mare, apoi a fost stapanit de arabi in secolele 7-8 (cand budhismul a fost inlocuit treptat de islamism), invadat de hoardele mongole ale lui Genghis Han in secolul al 13-lea si martorul cresterii imperiului lui Timur, un secol mai tarziu. Intre secolele 16-19 a fost dominat de cele trei khanate: Khiva, Bukhara si Kokand, pentru ca in a doua jumatate a  secolului al 19-lea acestea sa fie cucerite de Rusia tarista. Aceasta le-a transformat in protectorat, cu capitala la Tashkent. Dupa revolte si scurte perioade de oarecare independenta, in 1924 a fost creat Uzbekistanul, ca parte a Uniunii Sovietice, urmand cursul celorlalte republici similare. Si-a declarat independenta in 1991. Marile sale bogatii, ravnite de atatia cuceritori, sunt bumbacul, aurul, uraniul si gazele naturale.

Tashkentul, oras antic aflat pe Drumul Matasii, a fost distrus aproape in intregime de un cutremur, in anul 1966. Reconstruit atunci cu ajutor sosit din intreaga Uniune Sovietica, care si-a pus la dispozitie cei mai buni arhitecti, orasul mai prezinta inca influenta sovietica a constructiilor, in special in blocurile din partea numita de localnici "hrusciovka".

 blocuri vechi, de tip sovietic

Exista si multe constructii noi, moderne

 noul stadion national

 si s-a pastrat si o mica zona din orasul vechi.

Astfel, fiecare are cate ceva de vazut in Tashkent. Ceea ce ne-a uimit pe noi a fost numarul mare de parcuri, iarba verde (stropita continuu aproape) si numarul mare de fantani.

De la fereastra camerei de hotel cuprindem cu privirea intreaga Piata Amir Temur.

 de la fereastra camerei, piata larga Amir Temur

Intr-o zi nu poti vedea foarte multe dar iti poti face totusi o parere despre un oras. Traseul pe care l-am facut pentru plimbarea noastra dinainte de intrarea in program cuprinde zone invecinate hotelului, pe care le-am putut strabate cu piciorul. Metroul l-am folosit doar in jumatatea de zi de la terminarea turului, cand am vizitat (tot singure) Turnul TV. Detalii despre plimbare, in episodul urmator.