Dushanbe, Capital city in Gissar valley, Tajikistan
Dushanbe is the capital of Tajikistan in the Gissar valley, where streets run between squares and parks spread across multiple hectares. The city sits between mountain foothills, with the Varzob River flowing from east to west through the center.
The former village received capital status in 1924 and developed into an industrial city over the following decades. During the Second World War, several factories relocated here from the European part of the Soviet Union.
Local residents often gather along the wide pedestrian zones, where they drink tea and visitors can watch chess players on public benches. Architecture shows both Soviet-era apartment blocks and lighter buildings from more recent years with glazed facades.
A network of bus lines connects different neighborhoods, while sidewalks are wide and the center is walkable. Many public facilities concentrate along main streets, where visitors find access to ATMs and exchange offices.
The place name comes from the Persian word for Monday, because a weekly market once took place here. Little reminds of this today, yet some older markets still open their main stalls on this weekday.
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