PLACE AMUR TIMUR

In the heart of Tashkent, on Amur Timur Square, a gigantic statue of Tamerlane on horseback replaced that of Karl Marx shortly after independence. Lovers of detail will note that the emperor is depicted with his right arm outstretched, which was impossible given his infirmity. According to legend, Tamerlane's armies were so strong because every soldier, even with his right arm severed in battle, could continue to fight with his left hand, in the image of his leader.

To the west of the square stands the colossal Hotel Uzbekistan, whose architecture evokes an open book, with magnificent concrete interlacing on the façade symbolizing the Koranic script. It is characteristic of the "Brutalism" style of the Soviet 50s and 70s, inspired by the avant-gardism of Le Corbusier. The term itself was used by the French architect to define the working of raw concrete, i.e., without transformation, in the primitive state of the material. To the right of the Hotel Uzbekistan, the Congress Palace was inaugurated in 2009 to celebrate Tashkent's 2200th anniversary. Its colonnaded structure, spaced out by vast expanses of glass, is dominated by a dome housing two humos, the legendary birds of the Avesta that have become one of the national symbols.

A veritable meeting and relaxation place, it comes alive in the evenings with shooting ranges, games stands, rollerblade rentals and more. Don't hesitate to drop into one of the many cafés surrounding the square to soak up the Uzbek way of life.