While the warm summer days are still here, I want to talk more about the cozy gardens and parks of different cities. Today’s piece is dedicated to Tashkent’s Gafur Guliam Park of Culture and Rest, now known as Dream Park.
A Bit of History
The park in the southwestern part of Tashkent opened in 1967, originally named the Park of Culture and Rest in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Komsomol of Uzbekistan. The development of the area began three years prior.
In the 1990s, the park was named after Mirzo Ulugbek, and later it was renamed in honor of Gafur Guliam, a poet, writer, and academician of the Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR. The current name, Dream Park, emerged in 2022 following a major reconstruction of the area. In everyday life, locals use both the new and previous names of the park.
I’ve seen Dream Park referred to as the second-largest park in Tashkent. I'm not sure how accurate this is today, as the newly opened “Yangi Uzbekistan” park appears to cover a much larger area than Dream Park, based on online maps.
According to the 1984 edition of the “Tashkent” encyclopedia, the park used to have attractions such as rides, a summer stage, a dance floor, arcade games, a reading room, and a boat station. Some of these features remain today. In the eastern part of the park, there are two ponds where visitors can enjoy boat rides. The western area is designated for attractions. One of the ponds has a photo zone that requires an additional fee, which I decided to skip. Nearby, there is a ropes park.
Closer to the metro exit, there is a large Ferris wheel. Like other attractions in Dream Park, it can be paid for using a special park card.
How to Get There by Metro
When planning your route here, it’s important not to get confused by the names. The park was named after Gafur Guliam, but the metro station with the same name is six kilometers away from the park. The park is actually located near the “Mirzo Ulugbek” metro station, but the district and street with the same name are in a completely different part of Tashkent.
The metro exit leads you directly to the park. Entry is free, the park is open from 9 AM to 10 PM. There are areas with attractions and a Ferris wheel, which require separate payment.
Planning a trip to Tashkent and choosing a park for a stroll? I suggest reading about Magic City or the Japanese Garden.
Have a nice trip!
