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Extremely rich
During the Soviet era, cities with a population of one million would qualify for their own subway system. Planners wanted to enhance the daily lives of Soviet citizens, and they saw the metro system, used by tens of thousands of people daily, as a unique opportunity to do so.
In 1977, Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, became the seventh city in the Soviet Union to have a metro system built. Grandiose themes commemorating the history of Uzbekistan and the Soviet Union were brought to life, commissioned as works of art, and designers readily got to work.
The Tashkent subway system has been described by Lonely Planet as one of the most beautiful Soviet metro systems in the world.
The stations are designed with different themes; some have vaulted ceilings with colored tiles reminiscent of the mosques in Uzbekistan during the Silk Road era, while others are decorated with chandeliers and marble to resemble opulent European ballrooms.
As a result, the city's subway system was described by the travel publication Lonely Planet as one of the most beautiful Soviet metro systems in the world.
History of the Silk Road
Alisher Navoi Station, named after the Uzbek poet, is one of the most famous stations on the Tashkent metro system. Inside, the vaulted ceilings and blue tiles evoke memories of Uzbekistan's Silk Road history, with its ancient mosques and Islamic schools.
Alisher Navoi station is one of the most popular stations on the Tashkent metro system.
A portrait of the poet Alisher Navoi on the wall of the train station of the same name.
This is one of Tashkent's busiest train stations, always bustling not only with daily commuters but also with a large number of tourists and locals who come here to take photos, something that was banned until 2018.
Keep it secret.
When the Tashkent metro system was built, photography was banned in the stations because they also served a secondary function: as nuclear bomb shelters.
During the Soviet era, the fear of espionage and tight control of information meant that most photographs were viewed with suspicion as having malicious intent, especially around sensitive military facilities and bomb shelters.
During the Soviet era, the Tashkent metro system also served as a nuclear bomb shelter.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Uzbekistan's former Soviet leader, Islam Karimov, came to power and continued to implement that policy.
However, Karimov's successor, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, initiated reform policies, seeking to open up the country's economy and attract investors and tourists.
Perhaps recognizing the potential of the subway system to attract tourists, in mid-2018 the authorities ceased classifying the site as a military facility and lifted the 41-year-old ban on photography inside.
Topics in the station
Within the Tashkent metro system, each station boasts a unique design, adorned with marble, granite, glass, ceramics, and alabaster. Many designs revolve around a particular theme, often reflected in the station's name.
The Kosmonavtlar station spoke about Soviet cosmonauts and commemorated the Soviet Space Program.
For example, Kosmonavtlar Station on the O'zbekiston line is dedicated to Soviet cosmonauts and commemorates the Soviet Space Program, while Pushkin Station, located a few stops away on the Chilonzor line, honors the life of the famous Russian author and poet.
The Space Race
Yuri Gagarin and the early cosmonauts were among the most important heroes of the Soviet Union, symbols of Soviet superpower power during the Space Race. Their images were frequently portrayed in Russian propaganda.
A portrait of Yuri Gagarin, the first man to fly into space, adorns the wall of Kosmonavtlar Station.
Around him, on the walls, were surreal images of other famous astronauts floating in space, blending into a futuristic blue and black design, similar to the colors astronauts see when they leave Earth's atmosphere.
Proletariat
In true Soviet fashion, the products of the proletariat were also celebrated.
At Pakhtakor Station (which translates to "Cotton Harvesting Station"), stylized images of cotton are depicted in giant mosaics on the walls. The Soviet Union wanted to develop Uzbekistan into a massive cotton-producing region, restructuring its agricultural economy and shaping it until its production met 70% of the Soviet Union's cotton consumption needs.
Stylized floral motifs are depicted in the giant mosaic on the wall of Pakhtakor Station.
This caused a terrible environmental catastrophe: the Aral Sea, once the world's fourth-largest freshwater lake, began to dry up, causing the lake's fish populations to disappear and port towns to crumble in what was once a lake but has now become a desert.
Soviet trains
Beneath this glamorous exterior, the Tashkent metro system exudes a very Soviet sense of utilitarianism. Many of the trains still in operation are the highly regarded 81-717/714 class carriages, designed in the mid-1970s and commonly used in post-Soviet metro systems.
Many trains from the Soviet era are still in operation.
As of 2013, 168 trains painted in the distinctive green color of the Soviet era were still in operation, but they were gradually being replaced by newer models.
Cheap and popular
A metro ride costs 1,200 Uzbek som (approximately 2,700 VND). This price makes it affordable for Uzbeks with a minimum wage of only 527,000 som a month (1,182,707 VND) to travel within the city.
The Tashkent subway system is a cheap and popular mode of transportation for residents.
The metro system is also developing: a second line opened in 1984, and a third line opened in 2001 and is still being expanded, with the ultimate plan being to connect the northern districts with the airport in the south of the city.
