Friends, today we’re heading once again to sunny Tashkent to take a stroll through Friendship Park—one of the city’s large recreational areas. The park itself doesn’t have many notable landmarks, so I’ve decided to expand this story by also including information about the nearby Seoul Park and the recently renovated A. S. Pushkin Square.
Friendship Park
Although Friendship Park is far from being the smallest green space in Tashkent, there isn’t much information available about its history. Locals say that the area used to be called the Kirov Park of Culture and Recreation. I found a reference to this place in a Soviet encyclopedia. According to the article, the park was opened in 1932, and the idea to create this recreational space came from workers at a textile factory construction site. At first, it was called “Textile Worker’s Park,” and later, in 1947, it was renamed in honor of Kirov. In the past, the park featured children’s and dance areas, amusement rides, an open-air theater, and two libraries.
At a later stage, the park was named after Babur, a great-great-great-grandson of Timur (Tamerlane) and the founder of the Mughal dynasty. A major renovation was carried out a few years ago, and in 2021, the park was reopened to the public—this time under the name Friendship Park (Dustlik).
This park can be considered one of the calmest places to relax in Tashkent. It doesn’t attract large crowds, and there are no loud music shows in the evenings, making it an appealing spot for those who enjoy peaceful recreation away from the city noise.
Seoul Park
In the western part of Friendship Park, there is a small fenced-off area known as Seoul Park. It’s a relatively new attraction, created in 2010. The park was meant to symbolize friendly cooperation and strong relations between Seoul and Tashkent.
The area features several buildings in Eastern architectural style and a small pond with ducks. I was surprised by the exhibition located right at the entrance—there were several animal taxidermy displays. In the far corner of the park, there used to be a small open-air cinema.
I’m writing about the cinema in the past tense because I visited it a couple of years ago, but during later visits to the area, I noticed that the entrance was always closed. The structures are still in place, but I don’t know whether the park is currently open to visitors.
Pushkin Square
If you exit Friendship Park through the western gate and turn left, you can walk to A. S. Pushkin Square. The square is most likely named after the Russian poet, as there is a monument to him standing here. The sculpture was previously located in another part of the city, near the Pushkinskaya metro station, and was moved to its current location in 2015.
Renovation work on the square was recently completed. Now it features a children’s playground, a fountain, and a small canal.
I’ve mentioned some other recreational areas in hot Tashkent in the past. If you’re planning a trip here in the summer, I recommend checking out my stories about Navruz Park and Magic City.
Have a nice trip!
