Dushanbe
Monday begins in Dushanbe.
Dushanbe is perhaps the only city on the globe, which is named after the day of the week. The fact is that the word "Dushanbe" is translated from Tajik - Monday, and this fact has a logical explanation. The settlement Dushanbe emerged in the 17th century at the crossroads, where on Mondays, a large eastern bazaar was organized and active trade was conducted. In connection with this phenomenon, the settlement received such a name. However, since the formation of the city, its name has changed several times.
For example, until 1826 the city had a name Dushanbe-Kurgan. From 1924 to 1929 the city was called Duchambé. And during the Soviet era, for more than thirty years, it was officially called Stalinabad - in honor of the head of the Soviet Union, I.V. Stalin, but since 1961 the first name was returned to the city - Dushanbe.
The first mention of the village of Dushanbe is found in written sources of 1676. The village was located on the territory of an ancient city, part of the Kushan kingdom. The settlement was founded in the area of the Dushanbinka River in the 3-4 centuries BC. Household items, ceramics and traces of the sites of ancient times, found during archaeological excavations, evidence this. Later, a fortress was built here, where about 10,000 people lived. In the future, the district got the appearance of a full-fledged city. The land was divided into neighborhoods, 2 madrasahs and 14 mosques were built in the city. Caravanserais were the centers of cultural life and trade.
The modern city of Dushanbe is the capital of Tajikistan, the political and economic center of the Republic and a large metropolis, where various enterprises of the light, food and processing industries, as well as engineering, automotive, railway and air transport are concentrated.
Tourism and hotel business are rapidly developing in Dushanbe, which is why today the city is more than ever ready to receive guests from all over the world and provides tourists with comfortable conditions. In the city center there are many restaurants, cafes, bars, there are museums, theaters, cinemas and other cultural and entertainment facilities.
For those who love hiking or cycling, the city has a large number of stunningly beautiful places: parks, squares, shady alleys, boulevards, fountains, cozy benches. The city has a lot of greenery, flowers and trees, both young and those over a hundred years old.
Among the sights of Dushanbe, you should definitely visit the park of Sadriddin Aini, in the center of which stands the ancient marble mausoleum of the great writer. It will also be interesting for tourists to take the route along Rudaki Avenue, since along it almost all the historical architectural structures of Dushanbe are represented. The undoubted pride for the Tajiks is the memorial of Ismoil Somoni, symbolizing national reconciliation and consent.