Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Moving on... This card was sent by Julia in Russia and it's from a tag on the postcrossing forum. It seems like a pretty old postcard, possibly from the Soviet era, it does have that feel to it. It's quite yellow and flimsy but lovely nonetheless. I quite like receiving proper vintage postcards.



Tashkent (literally "Stone City") is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was 2.1 million.

At the moment, Tashkent is the most cosmopolitan city in Uzbekistan, with large ethnic Russian minority. The city is noted for its tree lined streets, numerous fountains, and pleasant parks. As capital of the nation, it has also been the target of several terrorist attacks since Uzbekistan gained independence, which the government has attributed to Islamic fundamentalists.

Since 1991, the city has changed economically, culturally, and architecturally. The largest statue ever erected for Lenin was replaced with a globe, complete with a geographic map of Uzbekistan over it. Buildings from the Soviet era have been replaced with new, modern buildings. One example is the "Downtown Tashkent" region, which includes the 22-story NBU Bank building, an Intercontinental Hotel, International Business Center, and the Plaza Building.

In 2007, Tashkent was named the cultural capital of the Islamic world as the city is home to numerous historic mosques and religious establishments.

What you can see on the card would seem to be Kukeldash Madrassah, one of the few remaining monumental architectural monuments of Tashkent. It was built in the second half of the 16th century in the time of Abdulla-Khan (1557-1598) under the Leadership of Kulbobo Kukeldash who was a vizier, a scientist and a poet. Madrasseh Kukeldash is under the authority of Religious Board of Maveraunnahr Moslems, and at present it is a regularly acting mosque. There is a primary school, which teaches the basis of Islam.