Hotel Uzbekistan Tashkent

Amur Timur – riding to conquer the world

by Trekki

From the more old area of Tashkent with bazaar , mosque and medressa, we now continue our city exploring in the modern centre and head for Amur Timur park.

No doubt that Tashkent also needs its Timur statue, now on his horse riding westward to conquer the world. The park around here is very nice and relaxing, with many tall trees to give shade and lots of fountains. A real nice spot to do some people watching and escape the heat, which is brutal in summer.
The park is considered to be the city centre, 8 roads leading radially in all directions.
Close by is Amur Timur Museum (to the north), little restaurants and Hotel Uzbekistan (to the east) and the famous Broadway to the west.

To the east of Timur Park, there is an interesting building, well, an interesting tower – a clock tower, which looks neither Islamic nor Russian (pic 4). It is a common meeting point for people and the building itself hosts an art gallery, which is said to be worth a visit.

Where and how to get money ?

by Trekki

From my experience (mid 2006), money exchange in Tashkent is quick and easy. Exchange offices are scattered around in town (amrked “echange”…) or use most of the banks (just show an US dollar bill and you’ll be shown the way to the right booth).
In summer 2006, bills of 1000 som have been available everywhere, although quite often I had to refuse the tons of 200 som bills, they want to give you at first instance. Be firm, shake your head and show them a 1000 som bill and you’ll get what you want.
Uzbek sum do have several security features, the most obvious is the color changing print on the upper right on the non-monument side (see arrow in pic 1).

From my experience, there is only one uniform and official exchange rate all over town (which only changes according to exchange rate change), so it won’t help to look for better rates or even blackmarket.

Hotels, upscale restaurants and most of the souvenir workshops do mostly accept USD. So keep some for these purposes. ATM machines are not that much available, but as I only had cash with me, I didn’t look in particular. Hotel Uzbekistan had one, however.
I also cannot say anything about acceptance of travellers’ cheques.

One word about the USD bills: ignore whatever your bank at home will tell you – there is zero need to bring small denomination bills ! All banks do easily accept 100 or 50 USD bills.

In the picture all Uzbek coins and banknotes; from Central Bank of Uzbekistan

persotvik's new Tashkent Page

by persotvik

Tashkent is a beautiful city with wide streets and great soviet style buildings. I do recommend a tour through the old uzbek city with mud houses. Excellent.

Dont miss the the chorsu bazaar, very interesting. There is not much old to see in Tashkent due to an eartquake in 1966. However you have the Kukeldash Medrassah close to the Chorsu Bazar.

Try also the "Broadway" Boulevard with street stalls, vendors and nice cheap restaurants. Tashkents hosts a lot of interesting museums as well. Worth a mention is the Amir Tiumur Museum close to Hotel Uzbekistan.

Enjoy Tashkent, Central Asia's premier metropolis.

On the doors of Asia

by Klod5

Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan and Central Asia's premier metropolis, betrays little of its 2,000-year history as a crossroads of ancient trade routes.This modern city of 2.1 million people, the fourth largest in the CIS after Moscow, St. Peterburg and Kiev, holds much to arrest the curious traveler, from imposing squares, monumentalist architecture and fine museums, to the mud-brick maze of the old Uzbek town, autumn colors on dappled poplar lanes and the sweet spray of fountains on burning summer days.

Tashkent's citizens are justifiably proud of their metro, Central Asia's first and bursting with decorative intent. Construction began in 1972 and extension of 30 kilometers makes metro the most convenient way to traverse the city and cool escape from melting avenues. Cotton is a common motif, from the mosaics of Pakhtakor( cotton workers), to the boll lamps of Uzbekistan; cupolas drip with gold leaf at Alisher Navoi, while Kosmonavtlar offers ceramic discs of cosmonauts floating in a spectral sea.

In the most countries people eat out for the pleasure of sampling better-than-everyday cuisine. In Uzbekistan, however , you will often be reminded that staying in is a safer culinary bet. You can now combine the two by visiting the home restaurants of Chagatai bazaar. Long renowned for exceptional shashlik, the bazaar air is pungent with grilled meat by 4am. A number of fresh dairy products are available to complete your breakfast. After 10 am the grillers return home and open their doors until 10 pm. Three blocks north of the Hotel Uzbekistan is Alaisky Bazaar, a cornucopia of fruit, vegetables, sheep innards and Lada parts. Spring and summer coat stalls with cherries, raspberries, figs and melons.

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