What is Dushanbe?
Dushanbe, Tajikistan’s enigmatic capital city with just over 1.5 million residents, is not the reason most travelers visit the mountainous Central Asian country. Still, the city is bursting with wholly unique sightseeing, culinary, and cultural opportunities.
Unlike many Central Asian cities, Dushanbe’s past is not rooted in the silk road. Instead, much of the city’s development owes to Soviet times. The city’s wide boulevards were once lined with grand Soviet architecture like Almaty and Bishkek, but much of that legacy is now hidden away. Instead, modern Dushanbe looks towards the future with ambitious new building developments and construction happening all across the city.
Walking the streets of Dushanbe, one cannot help but notice the strange juxtaposition between the grand, towering glass buildings and the unpaved, unlit back streets. It is also hard to pass a second in the city without seeing at least one portrait of Tajikistan’s president Emomali Rahmon.
Dushanbe is not a city I would go out of my way to visit, but it is a fascinating introduction to an often overlooked country.
What to do in Dushanbe
National Museum of Tajikistan
Like with any city, the National museum is a good place to start your Dushanbe adventure. The large museum gives a good introduction to Tajikistan and its history, with exhibits dating back to early civilization. It is also the museum with some of the most creative exhibits I have ever seen. Take, for example, one room designed to feel like walking through a blizzard on a frozen tundra. There is a room full of different types of rocks and another with Greek and Roman artifacts, but don’t miss the art gallery on the top floor. If you are up for a game, try counting the number of appearances Tajik president Emomali Rahmon makes throughout the museum.
Mehrgon Market (bazaar)
Dushanbe’s bazaar is one of the most unique and interesting in Central Asia. It is fully indoor and somewhat resembles a fusion between a bazaar and a mall. There are three levels with the floor serving as a food bazaar and more mall-like shops around the walkway on the second and third floors. This allows for good views of the beautiful columned central room. There aren’t a lot of souvenir shops in Dushanbe, but there are some small ones in the bazaar if you are interested in something to commemorate your trip.
Istiklol Monument
Towering over Dushanbe in the middle of a large public park is the unmissable istikol (independance) monument. This strangely beautiful tower looks out of place in the middle of a vast park and square seemingly reserved for large public gatherings, but it is nonetheless worth a visit. At the base of the monument is a somewhat large museum with art and artifacts from Tajikistan. From there, you are guided into an elevator that transports you to the top floor of the monument with a beautiful view of the city and the mountains beyond. Better yet, the museum and monument were completely empty when I visited. If you have some time to kill this is absolutely worth it. The tower’s architecture is interesting and the view from the top is unparalleled.
Victory Park and and Ghalaba Cafe
For an afternoon escape from the city complete with good views and Soviet-era monuments, victory park is worth a trip. I recommend walking up to the park, although it is also easy to reach via taxi. Take some time to explore the park in its entirety—including the WWII memorial—and when you’re done, stop by Ghalaba Cafe for a drink and take in the beautiful views of the city from the outdoor seating. The atmosphere is relaxed, the food and drinks are cheap, and the view is amazing.
Botanical Gardens
Dushanbe is not by any means a dirty city, but its Botanical Gardens are impressively well maintained and pleasant. They are best reached by taxi, but once you are there the gardens are large enough to spend a few hours relaxing and wandering amongst beautiful, well maintained gardens and buildings. It is a fairly lively area full of families celebrating and kids running around enjoying the outdoor retreat from the city’s bustle.
Where to eat in Dushanbe
TajPlov House
Plov is always a good option in any Central Asian country. Each country does the dish in its own unique way, and they are all good. Uzbekistan probably does plov the best (Samarkand specifically), but I was very surprised by the plov at TajPlov House. Plov is pretty strait forward. Order it. The waiters here were also very friendly and did their best to speak some English which was much appreciated.
Qurutobkhona-i Navruzi
You might not like it, but you can’t go to Tajikistan without trying Qurutob. Made by adding qurt to water, the dish is essentially a salty bread salad. It is difficult to describe. I recommend trying it at Qurutobkhona-i Navruzi where it is one of the only things on the menu. Pair it with some tea and more bread for an intersting, filling meal.
Toqi Teahouse
With its lively atmosphere and good food, Toqi Teahouse (it is a restraunt that also has tea) is worth a stop for an authentic Dushanbe meal. With fake trees and mosaics on the walls inside, take a seat in the front room to admire the decor. If you feel like a more exciting evening, step out into the courtyard complete with private dining areas, music, and a water feature. The food is pretty good and classically Tajik, and the experience as a whole is one only found in Dushanbe.
Public Pub
A pint of beer costs a dollar. Better yet, there is an extensive beer list and inviting, European-style atmosphere. The bar features both a nice terrace and spacious interior that gets quite crowded on weekends. When I visited they were playing country music and the bar seemed to have a considerable ex-pat clientele. I cannot speak on the food as I did not try it, but I am sure it is edible. Again, a pint costs a dollar.
Wide Open Road 