Architecture
Patchworks
Leaning over a pile of embroidered fabrics called suzanis, a man wearing an atlas-patterned waistcoat tidies up his shop in the city of Bukhara, Uzbekistan. Once an important… [...]
A brand-new parliament
The city centre of Dushanbe, the Tajik capital, is notable for its modern skyscrapers, the comings and goings of its yellow and green taxis, and its wide tree-lined streets. [...]
Blue walls
A woman passes by beautifully-ornated walls inside the Khujand fortress complex. This complex has been rebuilt from scratch using only traditional techniques, like the… [...]
The Poets in Unison
This monument, located in the native city of Jizzakh, Uzbekistan, honors the renowned poets Hamid Olimjon and Zulfiya. Depicted side by side, these iconic figures of Uzbek… [...]
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By supporting Novastan, you are supporting the only English, French and German-language media specialising in Central Asia. We're independent and we need your help to stay that way!Under the Minaret
View of the ‘Moskva’ hotel from the Madrasa Kukeldash, in Uzbekistan. Two men shelter from the sun in the shadow of the minaret. At the moment the hotel is… [...]
Handsome as a bus shelter
Portrait of a former Soviet Union bus stop in the village of Chingistay, Katon-Karagay district, Kazakhstan. Credit : Balzhan & Axel Monse, @infoshymkent (Germany) Find… [...]
Cinema Kosmos
The modernist ‘Kosmos’ cinema in Buston (former Chkalovsk), Tajikistan, displays on its façade a spaceship flying towards the outer space. Unfortunately part of the façade is obstructed by a… [...]
Palais du Commerce
From the top of her very quiet shopping arcade, this young girl dreamily observes the activity of the Mehrgon market in Dushanbe. Built in 2014 to replace the ‘obsolete’ street… [...]
The Majestic Vobkent Minaret, a Witness to Uzbek History
The Vobkent Minaret, located in the Bukhara region of Uzbekistan, is a masterpiece of Islamic architecture dating back to 1198. It stands 40 meters tall, though part… [...]
Abai and Semey
Two men walk by the entrance of the Abai Theater of Semey. The theater, built in a typical Soviet modernist style, is named after Abai Qunanbaiuly, or simply… [...]
Between tradition and modernity
A view over the Khan Shatyr entertainment center of Astana. This emblematic 150m-high structure designed by Norman Foster combines the shape of a traditional kazakh yurt with the… [...]
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