{"chapterKey":"uzbekistan/russian-samarkand","title":"Russian Samarkand","regionSlug":"uzbekistan","status":"published","photos":[{"sha":"3520912e34e4607e5d614f2beafaea03710d57776f91cf6de64d96c1eb2a6d3d","caption":"An old photograph of a Russianized Samarkand street.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/9e274951783e2d10f169d8f550ff2d59","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/29cde698459957959f634a8a0e737c81","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/82e827294cac092f75edd89c33f3c411","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/6cc848e2884af9f26df0b9b66ab32d87","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/3520912e34e4607e5d614f2beafaea03","altText":"An old photograph of a Russianized Samarkand street."},{"sha":"c07974763d5864384357ffc64fc0f36b6711bfe86b4df012171c8c7b1ef25937","caption":"You can still find plenty of buildings from that era. Here's a wing of the main post office. Behind those big windows upstairs are rooms full of computers for public access to the internet.","width":1224,"height":1632,"aspect":0.75,"orientation":"portrait","layoutHint":"narrow","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/aeef33e0278f4a449a3a3a485f230a43","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/ee5d5da0c0d920a23dfa3ccd1457d962","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/501cd8183f164b5ad0d2dcb28c00540f","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/c07974763d5864384357ffc64fc0f36b","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/c07974763d5864384357ffc64fc0f36b","altText":"You can still find plenty of buildings from that era. Here's a wing of the main post office. Behind those big windows upstairs are rooms ful"},{"sha":"d6e00cf2ca9db1ce5992bfebe5875dcf639361bb700ab4b31ad06d0d944d4bfa","caption":"This grander-than-it-looks house belonged to Abraham Kolontarov, who kept it until the Revolution. For five years it housed the Central Committee of the Uzbek Communist Party. Now it's a museum of local history.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/06820d26d32a1fcf9a4f85efe76c3a94","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/514ab9c6adeced432be48239d864efc7","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/8cea7f021ea5da63abd3e50224f6c35a","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0665c9884dc86b339773ad7ff263f06c","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/d6e00cf2ca9db1ce5992bfebe5875dcf","altText":"This grander-than-it-looks house belonged to Abraham Kolontarov, who kept it until the Revolution. For five years it housed the Central Comm"},{"sha":"3e8258050017ee0c6836c71e82264bae368c705d54d34c73082cb6046b1d842a","caption":"Inside, there's a fine, imported stove.","width":1224,"height":1632,"aspect":0.75,"orientation":"portrait","layoutHint":"narrow","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/c218692972340b43f612d3b0ba6923be","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/f2f4d562d98c3cf3bade887ba91111a2","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/8fc89ef348812d31891570731a145f84","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/3e8258050017ee0c6836c71e82264bae","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/3e8258050017ee0c6836c71e82264bae","altText":"Inside, there's a fine, imported stove."},{"sha":"85bbc391e10a339ba8d62f7dedb4335bfb61ffb30c3d0fb4e11dd370609f13bb","caption":"Another stove is set into a wall.","width":1224,"height":1632,"aspect":0.75,"orientation":"portrait","layoutHint":"narrow","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/4d78c4aeb7a0614283c6afd856c726a9","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/4415e9e9b9f8081e4ff369e34d7cac1c","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/37838ba70ea644263cc9d38d16f3d4ae","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/85bbc391e10a339ba8d62f7dedb4335b","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/85bbc391e10a339ba8d62f7dedb4335b","altText":"Another stove is set into a wall."},{"sha":"08f37da7c1f77e4d55fec866185d43f8f7d0ecda08dcfbc92ac85722112d9a44","caption":"One room has been converted into an auditorium.","width":1224,"height":1632,"aspect":0.75,"orientation":"portrait","layoutHint":"narrow","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/ca0ff9a309aa7d5ff5ee2a9a55344f86","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/7b4c1faaa7ad6994f184e9661582f641","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/ef1b9f7bd93dd9ef2c5f92a280c8f1e8","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/08f37da7c1f77e4d55fec866185d43f8","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/08f37da7c1f77e4d55fec866185d43f8","altText":"One room has been converted into an auditorium."},{"sha":"ab249fa3c8b3e4804baab97b2b3b5337ed5a750b1e4a9c0ec6cc0c2905f7e891","caption":"A block away, one of the main circumferential streets. Big changes are afoot here. We'll take a look.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/6228b77f3a6ea5ca0d64e44e1c2f58dc","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/b2b184d8b734a9953d8061784edd0056","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/ea133d1ab3b797a87003ede1b396b496","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/cefcc615531dce10c033dc163dd493ed","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/ab249fa3c8b3e4804baab97b2b3b5337","altText":"A block away, one of the main circumferential streets. Big changes are afoot here. We'll take a look."},{"sha":"9dbcb8bbdfab4a7073af9b33eea376d5078b0227665cb9764318ca415f604af5","caption":"Same street. In the background is the state-owned GUM department store.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/cff8846f3f403b7ff1953f5f0aaec251","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/3400247774feb920cae5614585ba616b","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/2b01cdf5b5507ec56b2aa1caccce6864","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/b68daca3877ecae877c3bb46be08053b","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/9dbcb8bbdfab4a7073af9b33eea376d5","altText":"Same street. In the background is the state-owned GUM department store."},{"sha":"0e6b7ae8791208f5f6d485f7ff108e02b89bb756e3b5112eb196e54e6d95ab9c","caption":"It's hopelessly out of date.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/f257ad1870b9074e3dbb3b5f2826f348","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/7bc5a4920eea285310c3e5681e2b103a","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/d0fac869959a05d57d005d795d81f3c7","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/f12e79e5e9d1393c6cc69f2fc643f33c","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0e6b7ae8791208f5f6d485f7ff108e02","altText":"It's hopelessly out of date."},{"sha":"eb0d1b5ea28924b3f252dcb0871e2742b09f2b48a8876e81fec310767a7961ad","caption":"Back on the street, though, you can see the future: not the usual international retailers but local equivalents.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/11a098d43119add3714656ec7410e5d7","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0d1f8c60fedc99155d09026053a5c392","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/23d40752a71619b9d6c8d2b10c5b0715","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/e22e81da1859e33fce90509fee826aa8","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/eb0d1b5ea28924b3f252dcb0871e2742","altText":"Back on the street, though, you can see the future: not the usual international retailers but local equivalents."},{"sha":"199e32d0f51d8ba28c757f59a006f428ea73ada105f9e66de370ef2abeb21815","caption":"An old shop gets refitted.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/4f06e7d0197f9e397eac1ef0872fb731","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/a1a7ea312091443726c2f1d78d629a57","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/9ba839337484ff782bdc4a86d1bb2670","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/4b28a13ead6cc18d9c5ebbee834db894","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/199e32d0f51d8ba28c757f59a006f428","altText":"An old shop gets refitted."},{"sha":"3a98eb07ed46751e18c62d69abbe059f4070e775807048e06cffcd2abc53144b","caption":"Ready for business.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/e02ab9670432fbd8c2507df206ca0092","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/80f5e7786226e0c2ae0a5b5cae06fcc5","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/aa104d8ff1c2222bc44736b78bb836f8","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/d177746c1529924d0bf2f482a69e1f0b","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/3a98eb07ed46751e18c62d69abbe059f","altText":"Ready for business."},{"sha":"0e47c026d6968423a9b2afdb5320534e150bb4261c231c284b45a41fa8d8917b","caption":"The old theater is cleaned up.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/9824da685949283e2695c3425fd36d77","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/6b782c6e8f73356c31c04b4b1185604e","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/1be1c315f75a70e6dcbe148c6ae7f23b","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/23d0cb684735cadc38cd6bcc71a75d11","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0e47c026d6968423a9b2afdb5320534e","altText":"The old theater is cleaned up."},{"sha":"c46ff785259dfad09338490cb316adbb0e14aedc17e1c79bf9eb957f995caf87","caption":"A five-minute walk from those shops, there's this dinosaur on the loose: another fine example of Soviet modernism.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0abbea88c900755ab06d6c6e991c6f15","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/5c67e994b4f85240461a90d4975df041","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/995a4b6ee69bb0a6e87120ae40722566","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/871590a4c851de8e2ebdbd57f4ffd4ba","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/c46ff785259dfad09338490cb316adbb","altText":"A five-minute walk from those shops, there's this dinosaur on the loose: another fine example of Soviet modernism."},{"sha":"22e0d0aae5b78c6fb766cf8b526c69aa655cf1ee5de3179117fe2875c7512748","caption":"The planners have juxtaposed their center against the historic one, the Registan. No contest.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/e08a6f5d1ea57fcda6245cf4bb90e37f","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/20584e31dece46de14830906e5642853","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/a950e08180ae9bf80bae0ddd09cac081","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/68661bf613f5ac1f0b0ca00a5698d63c","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/22e0d0aae5b78c6fb766cf8b526c69aa","altText":"The planners have juxtaposed their center against the historic one, the Registan. No contest."},{"sha":"3f3ca007eff4cc1275a383602429f47fff83317bf2f01a589e9af44725961fbc","caption":"The same Soviet complex seen from Bibi Khanum.","width":1632,"height":1224,"aspect":1.3333,"orientation":"landscape","layoutHint":"wide","srcThumb":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/eb3e249916353c4e7eb8c30f2f5da482","srcSmall":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/1687bce9996a090c3aeff99f322e50dd","srcMedium":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/44c2580426d725257f8e4df59ccf62f3","srcLarge":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/52f102d081e1a86573b30f8c00d2710b","srcOriginal":"https://wtbl.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/3f3ca007eff4cc1275a383602429f47f","altText":"The same Soviet complex seen from Bibi Khanum."}],"createdAt":"2022-02-28T01:32:20.000Z","updatedAt":"2022-02-28T01:32:20.000Z","lead":"The Russians brought their brand of civilization to Samarkand. Like colonists everywhere, their influence has outlasted their political power.","visitedDate":"2004","publishedDate":"2004-10-09T04:00:00.000Z","originalUrl":"https://www.greatmirror.com/index.cfm?countryid=843&chapterid=860&picturesize=medium","heroSha":"3520912e34e4607e5d614f2beafaea03710d57776f91cf6de64d96c1eb2a6d3d","authorLabel":"Bryan Wallach","_meta":{"sameAs":[]}}