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The Dome of Chorsu Bazaar
The Dome of Chorsu Bazaar

Numerous publications link the modern use of traditional domes to the ideas of architect Andrey Kosinsky, who proposed using domed structures in the new Chilanzar districts built after the earthquake. His concepts were realised only twenty years later, when Tashkent City Design Institute architects Vladimir Azimov and Sabir Adylov began designing the reconstruction of Chorsu Bazaar.

Architecture historian Boris Chukhovich notes that the architects may also have been inspired by a dome built in the Algerian city of Sidi-Bel-Abbès.

In 1990 the complex opened: seven smaller domes (10–15 m in diameter) were built surrounding the main bazaar dome of 86 metres. However, the finishing and tiling of the main dome continued until 1993.

The lower level contains basement corridors with numerous utility rooms. Today the ground floor houses meat and dairy stalls, while spice vendors operate on the second-floor gallery. Separate pavilions were built for clothing, household goods, and handicrafts.

Construction of the main dome began simultaneously with the digging of the eponymous “Chorsu” metro station, which opened on 6 November 1989.

In May 2022, news emerged of an attempt to demolish one of the domes. Following publications in blogs and media, the Cultural Heritage Agency confirmed that all Chorsu domes are included in the list of cultural heritage sites of Uzbekistan.

The turquoise dome floating above the bazaar and visible from afar has become the main accent of the old city’s panorama, and walking through the trading rows beneath its vaults is now a mandatory part of every tourist route.

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