Tashkent and historic monuments

Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan. Its 2,200th anniversary was marked in 2009. Archaeologists found that the ancient city lay near today’s railway station, on the Salar canal, in a place called “Ming o‘rik” (Thousand Apricots). In the 6th century the city became the centre of the Chach region. In ancient Chinese sources the city is mentioned as “Shi” (stone), and in Arabic sources as “Shash” and “Binkat”; the word “Toshkent” means “stone city”. The city was surrounded by a strong wall and had an ark (the ruler’s residence) and a shahristan, while craftsmen lived in the rabat. Because it lay on a caravan road, trade and crafts grew; coins of various countries have been found in the city. In 1865 Tashkent was seized by Russia. After Uzbekistan became independent in 1991, Tashkent became the capital of the independent state, as fixed in the Constitution. Many structures were newly built or rebuilt there: the Alisher Navoi National Park, Independence Square with the Independence and Prosperity Monument, the Amir Temur Square and statue, the buildings of the Oliy Majlis, the International Conference Palace, the National Library and the Hazrati Imam complex. In 2007 Tashkent was proclaimed “Capital of Islamic Culture”.