Alai (Oloy) Bazaar, Tashkent

Alai Bazaar is the oldest market in Tashkent. Some say it has been around since the 17th century or even earlier – the 12th century – and was founded by traders who came from far and wide to sell their wares and produce in the city, possibly all the way from the Alai mountain region, hence the name.

Another, more plausible theory suggests that the Alai market was formed in the 1870s during the Russian imperial conquest of Central Asia which brought in the influx of European settlers (military personnel and their families, explorers, medical doctors, etc.). It is known for a fact that, back then, the market was called Alai (from the Turkic word "alai" - "soldier"), since it was located not far from the soldiers' garrison.

Since the independence of Uzbekistan, Alai Bazaar has undergone major overhaul, seeing its central entrance beautifully redecorated and the whole site thoroughly upgraded. The market's front building consists of two floors, under a high canopy roof, with several rows of small boutiques specialized in jewelry. The actual color of the canopy – dark green – darkens the space a little bit too much, though.

Having passed through this dark corridor, you emerge into a sea of light, getting to a sunlit square with a small fountain in the middle, amid a large agricultural section – dehqan bazaar. The room between the rows here is quite wide, so you can easily see the displayed items in all their splendor. Here you can buy various vegetables and fruits, both domestically grown (such as pomegranates, persimmons, apricots, grapes, strawberries and different types of melons) and exotic imports like bananas, pineapples, oranges, mangoes, kiwis, etc.

Various oriental snacks are also sold here in huge varieties, including navat (crystallized grape sugar), kazinaki (pressed nuts/seeds in honey or sugar), parvarda (an oriental sweet like caramel made from sugar syrup sprinkled with flour), pashmak (a ball of the most delicate sugar threads sprinkled with powdered sugar and flour), kishmish (pitted dried grapes), dates and much more. There is a wide choice of nuts on offer, too – walnuts, cashews, peanuts, pistachios; as well as all the known varieties of seeds – almonds, salted apricot pits, and others. Beautiful wicker baskets of various sizes, designed for different purposes (fruits, flowers, etc.), are offered nearby.

Further into the bazaar is a large two-story section. Here, on the ground floor, you will find a variety of goods – from fashion magazines to cell phones to drinks and food. The second floor is dedicated to dairy products (cottage cheese, kurt, sour milk, sour cream, etc.) and smoked meats (sausages, salamis, poultry, fish and more) pleasantly tempting shoppers with their aromas.

Renowned for its cleanliness and order, unlike other big bazaars in Tashkent, Alai is very sparsely populated and quiet.