CityBuddy
Chorsu Bazaar
Best time to visit
Go between 7:00 and 9:00 AM when vendors just unpack their goods and the freshly baked non bread is still warm from the tandoor. Summer mornings are cooler and less crowded than afternoons.
Budget tips
Entry is free with no ticket needed. Bring small denominations of Uzbek som (under 10,000 notes), as many vendors cannot break large bills, and expect to bargain prices down by 30 to 50 percent.
Recommended for
Food lovers, Photography enthusiasts, Culture seekers, Bargain shoppers
Plan your visit
2-3 hours
About
Quick facts: The turquoise dome stretches 42 meters across and covers nearly 4,000 square meters of market space. Vendors have traded spices, silks, and meats on this spot for over a thousand years; the Soviets erected the current structure in 1980.
Highlights: The dome's 80,000 turquoise tiles shift color throughout the day from pale sky blue to deep teal depending on the sun. Descend the ramp to the underground ring where the temperature drops 10 degrees Celsius and dozens of butchers work by hanging whole carcasses on hooks beneath blue fluorescent lights.
Insider tips
- Arrive by 7:00 AM to watch bakers pull non bread from wood-fired tandoors using long iron hooks.
- Bring cash in small bills, most vendors do not accept cards and will not have change for large notes.
- Photograph the dome from the surrounding apartment rooftops for a wide-angle shot that captures the full scale.
- Skip the pre-packaged souvenir stalls near the entrance and walk deeper into the rings where locals shop for better prices.
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