Around Anhor Park In Tashkent

Think of colonial Williamsburg for the Silk Road set. They've created an ersatz ancient village at Anhor park in the center of Tashkent. Old houses with courtyards, complete with carved wood columns. Ikat textiles, tapchan furniture. And shopping.

The place is sort of a live and work mix of buildings. Some shopkeepers are housed at the complex. Of course, looking traditional, period.

The main purpose of the place is to give you a feel for an ancient Silk Road city, right down to the souvenir stalls. Go with it.

See how the khans lived. And relaxed, right on their expansive tapchan.

It is nice to get a peek at old, classic, iconic architecture. An interior courtyard, all white-washed and filled with elaborate columns. Period kitchen. No rat powered food processor.

Looking down a typical street. Squint and you could be calling your Uber - a camel.

Miniature Landmarks At Anhor Park

If you can't get to the Silk Road cities to see the real ancient monuments, maybe head to Anhor Park in Tashkent to see some small replicas.

The models have a folk art vibe, a lot of spit, polish, and stucco. First up, the heavy of Samarkand and beyond, the Registan.

In Bukhara, the big attraction is the fortress, palace mound, the Ark. In Khiva, you've got a nice collection of minarets, including the unfinished blue one, Kalta Minor. Or Stumpy.

Back to Bukhara, a detail view of the center of town, Kalan mosque and Mir-i-Arab madrasa.

Model of the funky Chor Minor, in Bukhara. Skipping over to Kokand, the tile bling on the palace of Khudáyár Khán.

Mystery madrasa, in need of a touch up.