Chorsu is the beating commercial heart of old Tashkent, a sprawling bazaar that has traded on this spot for over two thousand years. Its landmark blue dome shelters tiers of spice mountains, dried fruit, fresh non, and butchers, while the surrounding lanes sell everything from skullcaps to ceramics.
Don't miss
- The domed food hall, with pyramids of spices and dried fruit
- Sampling fresh-baked Tashkent non straight from the tandyr
- The pottery and handicraft stalls in the outer rings
Good to know
Best time
Early morning is freshest and liveliest; many stalls wind down by late afternoon.
Local tip
Carry small soʻm notes and a smile; friendly bargaining is expected outside the food hall.
Getting there
Right beside Chorsu metro station, itself worth seeing for its tiled interior.
Two Thousand Years of Trade
Chorsu ("crossroads" in Persian) sat at the meeting of routes through the Tashkent oasis, and merchants have haggled here since the days of the Silk Road. The modern domed hall went up in the Soviet era, but the rhythm underneath is ancient: taste before you buy, and never rush the deal.
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