Urban Design

Urban design is a complicated subject for post-Communist locations. Many were founded in ancient times, meaning that their centers feature tight, winding streets and a density of historical structures that make new developments and reforms difficult. Many were expanded greatly by the communists, with new districts of sprawling and utilitarian block housing, new imposing buildings of experimental architectural design, and, often, massive new public transport systems. Most of the cities considered here have also gone through a renaissance of sorts in the post-Soviet era, discovering ways to make more of their city districts modern, comfortable, and more functional.

Exploring Bishkek’s Mosques

The Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek today features mosques scattered throughout its streets. Amazingly, nearly all of these mosques were constructed after the Kyrgyz Republic declared independence in 1991. The city was constructed mostly by Tsarist Russia and the USSR, neither of which encouraged the construction of mosques. The construction boom in Bishkek is testament to […]

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