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Tashkent, the Uzbek capital, is Central Asia’s hub — its biggest and worldliest city (the fourth-biggest in the CIS after Moscow, Petersburg and Kiev), bang in the middle of the Eurasian landmass, and better connected by international flights than any other city in the region.
Rebuilt after the 1966 earthquake as the very model of a modern Soviet city, Tashkent comprises concrete apartment blocks decorated with Uzbek motifs and illuminated slogans, yawning parade grounds around solemn monuments, hectares of parkland and a remarkably comprehensive public transport system. There’s also the other, older city, a sprawling Uzbek country town with fruit trees and vines in every courtyard hidden behind secure walls.
Some of the region’s Slays have moved to the relative cultural security of Tashkent, which is still at least half Russian-speaking (if not Russian). It’s also a haven for Uzbekistan’s Koreans, Caucasians and Tatars, lending it a diverse and cosmopolitan edge.
It is hard to visit Uzbekistan without passing through Tashkent, and there are consular, communications, medical and other facilities you can’t find elsewhere in the republic, along with a busy (and very affordable) cultural life and some interesting museums.
Additional Resources:
Tashkent - Cityguide from Advantour
Malika Tashkent - Located in Chilanzar district hotel provides clean and comfortable accommodation.
Rovshan Tashkent - One of the reputable budget hotels in Tashkent
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