For more than seventy years, the Tashkent chimes, built in the very center of the capital, right next to the central square of Amir Temur, have been a symbol and landmark, and most importantly, a reminder for many residents of Uzbekistan. The chimes struck for the first time on May 9, 1947 - this is a memory of the courage and heroism of the soldiers from Uzbekistan who fought and died during the Second World War.
In that terrible war, more than 430 thousand Uzbek soldiers died, and the main chimes, like time keepers, in memory of them, every fifteen minutes, with the sound of their bell, began the countdown of a new and - most importantly - peaceful life.
And the history of this building began at the end of the Great Patriotic War, in Prussia, in the village of Allentin, from where our fellow countryman, hereditary watchmaker Alexander Abramovich Aizenstein, brought them and gave them to his hometown. He took the clock mechanism from the main tower of the city hall. It was he who came up with the idea of installing the chimes in this place in Tashkent, and then for many years he maintained their clock mechanism. Alexander Abramovich Aisenstein also participated in the restoration of the chimes after a strong earthquake in 1966, when the clock mechanism was damaged due to the violence of the elements.
One of the bells was also damaged by the earthquake, but the capital’s craftsmen were able to make the same new bell, sounding no worse than the previous one. The Chimes project was presented by the famous architect Adgam Mukhamedshin, and the construction itself was led by engineer V. Levchenko. The decoration of the chimes building was carried out by the famous ganch carver - usto Shirin Muradov.
It was thanks to his ability to properly handle raw alabaster and transform it into beautiful lace that the chime tower acquired a unique oriental flavor. In the mid-90s, modernization was carried out, and in 2009, an exact copy appeared at the Tashkent chimes - another high-rise tower with a large dial.
This is how a new symmetrical composition was formed, organically combining modern and ancient elements of national art. Today, the Tashkent chimes are 70 years old, but they still count down the passage of time and every 15 minutes remind of the victims of war. The good memory of the long-term caretaker of the chimes, who left a noticeable mark on the history of our city, is still alive and well.
Tour operator Canaan Travel will be happy to reveal to you all the delights of the center of Tashkent and prepare for you a pleasant and interesting holiday in the heart of the Eastern Star.