Monument "Courage" — Attraction in Tashkent

Bold, fearless and courageous! A real brutalist statue from the Soviet period reminds the visitor of the devastating Tashkent earthquake in 1966. On April 26, 1966 at 05:22 in the morning, the capital of the Uzbek SSR was shaken by an earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale. In itself not a very strong earthquake (an average of 8 of these occur per day on our planet), and the death toll is very low with 15 to 200 fatalities (a recent unofficial estimate however is of ±5,500 fatalities). The material damage is however disastrous: 78,000 to 95,000 mainly adobe houses were destroyed, leaving some 200,000 to 300,000 people homeless. About 80% of the city, including 600-year-old mosques and the old heart of the city, is destroyed. The Soviet authorities immediately set to work to repair the damage, and already in 1970 a completely new city (including 100,000 homes) was built, in Soviet style of course. In honor of the 10th anniversary of the earthquake, the Monument of Courage was erected. An old-fashioned...

The Monument of Courage in Tashkent is a memorial dedicated to the victims of the devastating 1966 earthquake that struck the city. Located near the Ministry of Emergency Situations, it stands in a peaceful park setting not far from the city center. The monument features a dramatic cracked granite block symbolizing the moment of the quake, along with human figures representing strength, unity, and the city’s rebuilding efforts. Visiting the site is free of charge, and it’s easy to walk around and take in the symbolic details. It’s a quiet and reflective place, best experienced in the early morning or late afternoon.

The only downside during my visit was the constant whistle-blowing by the police officers on site. Their nonstop whistling disrupted the peaceful and beautiful atmosphere of the memorial. It would be much better if a more considerate alternative could replace the whistles to help preserve the serenity...

The Monument of Courage shows the true solidarity of Uzbek nation after the great earthquake on 26th April 1966 at 05:23 a.m. After this tragedy, more than 300.000 people stayed homeless and they used to live in tents. Uzbek people immediately started to reestablish this great city of Tashkent. This monument is dedicated to honor that great project on 20th May 1976. The monument was made by sculptor and artist Dmitry Ryabichev. The monument of courage is one of the most important symbols of Tashkent. There is also a garden behind that monument which can be considered the Garden of Eden. You can forget the time and city's...