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Uzbekistan's Architectural Gems: Preservation and Destruction

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Español · Joyas arquitectónicas de Uzbekistán: Preservación y destrucción
Ελληνικά · Ουζμπεκιστάν: Διατήρηση και καταστροφή των αρχιτεκτονικών διαμαντιών της χώρας
عربي · روائع أوزبكستان المعمارية: بين الحفظ والتدمير
繁體中文 · 烏茲別克的建築瑰寶:維護與破壞
简体中文 · 乌兹别克斯坦的建筑瑰宝:维护与破坏
Français · Les joyaux de l'architecture d'Ouzbékistan : entre protection et destruction

Poi Kalon Essemble, one of Bukhara's architectural gems. Image from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Don Croner's World Wide Wanders posts great photos from the ancient Central Asian cities of Bukhara (also here, here, and here) and Samarkand, now in Uzbekistan. The cities’ magnificent architectural and historic landmarks attract crowds of tourists daily. Yet, while preserving this part of the country's cultural heritage, the authorities in Uzbekistan have destroyed many architectural monuments of the Soviet period. Alex Ulko on NewEurasia.net shares images of some of the destroyed objects. While some scholars explain the selective demolition of monuments as an attempt to get rid of Uzbekistan's “colonial” heritage, the blogger suggests that the authorities “simply see the beauty in a different way”.

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