Lotte City Hotel Tashkent Palace (früher Hotel „Taschkent“)

We are standing in the very heart of Theater Square, and before us stands the building that completed its architectural ensemble. The Tashkent Hotel, built in the late 1950s, rose on the site of the bustling Voskresensky Bazaar and the old shopping arcades of the merchant Tezikov. Notice how the hotel is positioned in relation to the Navoi Theater. They stand directly opposite each other, forming a classic paired ensemble, known in Eastern architecture as a “kosh.” This was a deliberate dialogue between two masters: architect Mithat Bulatov sought not to overshadow Alexei Shchusev’s grandiose creation, but to tactfully highlight it. This is precisely why the hotel features slender proportions and a monumental yet restrained vertical composition in the Art Deco style. The building has a complex shape, with the central five-story main body smoothly transitioning into four-story side wings. If you look inside, you’ll discover a spacious courtyard. During the Soviet era, it served as a cozy retreat, hidden from the city’s noise, while all utility services—restaurant kitchens and storage areas—were concealed in the basement via a special underground passage to preserve the square’s aesthetic. From a technical standpoint, the “Tashkent” was a true breakthrough. For the first time in Uzbekistan’s history, an automatic air conditioning system was installed here—an incredible luxury for that time. To ensure the building’s safety in a high-seismic zone, engineers employed innovative thin-walled reinforced concrete structures. This allowed them to eliminate heavy brick walls inside, creating a lighter floor plan. The hotel’s architecture is imbued with a “southern flair.” Instead of ornate decoration, the forms themselves do the work: deep loggia-style aivans at the entrance create natural shade, and on the flat roof of the central section, a summer café once operated beneath a light gallery. An observant viewer will also notice the bright accents: the entrances to the building and the restaurant are highlighted with vibrant majolica tiles in turquoise, blue, and white. Even the shade canopy on the roof was adorned with decorative murals. The Tashkent Hotel (later known as the Shark, and today the Lotte City Hotel) is a rare example of how architecture can “listen” to its neighbors. It has brilliantly stood the test of time, remaining a model of urban planning sensitivity and respect for tradition.