Old City Mahallas and Zarqaynar Street

The walled city

After Tashkent passed to the Kokand Khanate in the early 19th century, it was ringed by a moat and a crenellated mud wall some 20 km long with 12 gates — Labzak, Takhtapul, Karasaray, Sagban, Chigatay, Kukcha, Samarkand, Kamalan, Beshagach, Koymas, Kokand and Kashgar — named after the towns their roads led to or the main streets. The last gates were pulled down in 1890, but their names live on in city neighbourhoods.

A bek appointed by the khan governed the city, and its four quarters — Kukcha, Beshagach, Sheikhantaur and Sebzar — were run by officials called mingbashi. Tashkent then had about 100,000 people, up to 400 mosques and 10 madrasahs. After the Russian conquest of 1865 a European New Town grew up across the Ankhor canal, and the walled quarters became the Old City.

Walking it today

Much of the Old City was rebuilt after the 1966 earthquake, but between Chorsu and Hazrati Imam narrow lanes, dead-end alleys and traditional courtyard houses behind blank walls survive. The easiest route runs from Chorsu metro past the Kukeldash Madrasah and the Friday mosque, then north along Zarqaynar Street to the Hazrati Imam Complex — about 1.5 km on foot, past several neighbourhood mosques.