Notes on the Geography of Uzbekistan: Russian SamarkandThe Russians brought their brand of civilization to Samarkand. Like colonists everywhere, their influence has outlasted their political power. Make default image size larger ![]() An old photograph of a Russianized Samarkand street. ![]() You can still find plenty of buildings from that era. Here's a wing of the main post office. Behind those big windows upstairs are rooms full of computers for public access to the internet. ![]() This grander-than-it-looks house belonged to Abraham Kolontarov, who kept it until the Revolution. For five years it housed the Central Committee of the Uzbek Communist Party. Now it's a museum of local history. ![]() Inside, there's a fine, imported stove. ![]() Another stove is set into a wall. ![]() One room has been converted into an auditorium. ![]() A block away, one of the main circumferential streets. Big changes are afoot here. We'll take a look. ![]() Same street. In the background is the state-owned GUM department store. ![]() It's hopelessly out of date. ![]() Back on the street, though, you can see the future: not the usual international retailers but local equivalents. ![]() An old shop gets refitted. ![]() Ready for business. ![]() The old theater is cleaned up. ![]() A five-minute walk from those shops, there's this dinosaur on the loose: another fine example of Soviet modernism. ![]() The planners have juxtaposed their center against the historic one, the Registan. No contest. ![]() The same Soviet complex seen from Bibi Khanum. |
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