The spacial expression of culture
Chapter 3
Urbanism through time
(1)
Chorsu Market, Tashkent, 2024
The bazaar and space around it is formed by the society, and guided by established norms of representation in architecture and street layout. These norms, in turn, are linked to the authorities, as they are the ones who decide where buildings and fences will be constructed, build roads, and organize urban space—thereby shaping the behavior of buyers and sellers.
Chorsu Market, Tashkent, 2024
Only the location of the medieval Chorsu market remains unchanged. The lowland, convenient in terms of transport accessibility, and the proximity of irrigation channels made this area ideal for the development of the bazaar.
Tashkent became a trade oasis, or even a trade hub, where different products met at a convenient place: nuts, fruits and honey from the mountain valleys, meat and wool from nomadic people, and artisan crafts from the cities.
Chorsu Market, Tashkent, 2024
It was once the city’s most important square, with all roads leading to it from the gates. Even today, four main Tashkent roads intersect here. It is a kind of logistics center, accumulating flows of goods and people from across the city and its suburbs.
Chorsu Market, Tashkent, 2019
Chorsu today
(2)
The bazaar’s main building, with a dome supported by eight pillars, was built in the late Soviet period, and was initially perceived as the city’s focal point. It was Andrey Kosinsky who proposed the architectural decision in the form of a dome, traditional for the hot climate of Uzbekistan, which would cool the air inside the building through natural circulation. However, the idea was brought to life by Vladimir Azimov and Sabir Adylov in the 1980s.
The building itself embodies the concept of Chorsu as a place where cultures and eras merge. It is an example of Soviet modernism infused with ethnic motifs typical of traditional Uzbek architecture and is, perhaps, one of the most recognizable buildings in the city. It is decorated with ornamental glazed mosaics and arched windows in the oriental, typical of Samarkand and Bukhara, style.
View of Chorsu, Tashkent, late 1990s-early 2000s Photo: meros. uz
The large dome of Chorsu, Tashkent, 2024
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The large dome of Chorsu, Tashkent, 2019
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The large dome of Chorsu, Tashkent, 2024
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Chorsu Market, Tashkent, 2024
The large dome houses two floors with trade counters that are arranged in circles around the center.
Dried fruits, national sweets, spices, and teas from mountain herbs are sold on the second floor. The first floor is for meat and meat products, fish, dairy, and homemade noodles. There is also a so-called technical ground floor.
Fruits and vegetables are sold on the open-air counters around the main dome. The ready-made food counters are located on the south and south-east sides.
In addition to the main dome, which has a diameter of 80 meters, seven medium and small domes with diameters of 15 and 10 meters were built nearby. The small domes are located in a row, below the main dome, and are currently (in 2025) on reconstruction. They are open-form rooms connected by passageways.
Chorsu Market, Tashkent, 2024
Crafts and regional identity
(3)
Chorsu Market, Tashkent, 2024
Across the street from the main bazaar area there are artisan workshops and trade stalls. They manufacture and sell products made of wood, metal, and sheet metal, as well as ceramics, tableware, and home decoration.
Trade is intertwined with the daily life of Tashkent residents. It literally spills out of the bazaar, taking over the nearby streets. Such counters are usually temporary and are associated with the surplus of agricultural products that weren’t able to find a sales channel in the main part of the market.
An entire infrastructure has developed around the market, serving the needs of both sellers and buyers. There are banks, hair salons, cafes, hotels and other places in the surrounding the bazaar streets. The flat, open urban landscape allows this infrastructure to expand every year.
Chorsu Market, Tashkent, 2024
Sellers who trade in such places see their work as temporary and prefer not to rent a spot inside the bazaar. As a rule, each seller in this case offers only one type of product and trades either directly from the ground or from a truck.
“Concession stand”, Chorsu, Tashkent, 2024
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“Concession stand”, Chorsu, Tashkent, 2024
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“Concession stand”, Chorsu, Tashkent, 2024
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Panoramic view
First floor
Second floor
Chorsu Bazaar map
Panoramic view
First floor
Second floor
Chorsu Bazaar map
groceries, fruit, vegetables, spices
Panoramic view
First floor
Second floor
Chorsu Bazaar map
dried fruit, sweets, and traditional handicrafts
Chorsu Market, Tashkent, 2024
Chorsu Market, Tashkent, 2024
Goods are organized according to thematic principles; however, for most Uzbeks, product quality and specific characteristics are directly associated with its geographical origin. Clients always ask where fruits and vegetables grew up in search of the best purchase.
The situation with the cultural landscape is quite similar. Regions gain a voice in the market through sellers—their individual communication styles, dialects, and trading cultures. And crafts form the visual image of the regions through materials, ornaments, and paints.
For instance, Yangiyol grapes, grown in a region with long, hot summers, are known for their sweetness and large berries. Peaches and nectarines come from the Fergana Valley. Fruits ripen earlier in this oasis and can be stored for a long time. Khorazm is famous for its tomatoes, Qarshi for melons, Namangan for cherries, and Andijan for savory and dense onions.
This is how the gastronomic "landscape" of Chorsu is formed: the best products from all over the country are concentrated in one place.
Chorsu Market, Tashkent, 2024
