Things to Do at Tashkent Tv Tower
Complete Guide to Tashkent Tv Tower in Tashkent
About Tashkent Tv Tower
The TV Tower rises 375 metres above Tashkent's northern districts. It is the tallest structure in Central Asia. The needle dominates the skyline from nearly every vantage point. Construction began in 1978. The tower opened on 15 January 1985. It still works as a broadcast facility carrying radio and television signals across Uzbekistan.
Stand at its base. You feel the sheer improbability of the thing: a slender concrete needle tapering upward through the dry Tashkent air, its metal lattice catching the afternoon sun in sharp glints. On hazy summer days the upper reaches dissolve into white sky. At night the whole shaft lights up in shifting colours visible from kilometres away.
The tower divides opinion among travelers. Some find the Soviet-era engineering impressive in a raw, functional way. Others come mainly for the Koinot restaurant, a revolving dining room perched roughly 109 metres up, where the entire Tashkent panorama scrolls past your table over the course of about an hour. Below the restaurant sits the observation deck at approximately 97 metres, reached by a fast elevator that covers the distance in seconds.
From up there, Tashkent sprawls in every direction: clusters of turquoise-domed mosques to the south, the green corridors of the Ankhor Canal, the construction cranes of the newer business districts to the east, and, directly below, the shaded paths and solemn memorial rotunda of the Shakhidlar Hotirasi complex. It is one of those places that photographs poorly but impresses in person, the kind of view that rewards staying for the slow shift from afternoon glare to the warm glow of sunset.
What to See & Do
Observation Deck
Sitting at roughly 97 metres, this is the main draw. The glass panels give an unbroken sweep over Tashkent in every direction. On clear days you can trace the snow-capped ridges of the Tian Shan mountains along the eastern horizon. The wind is noticeable even behind glass, a faint vibration that reminds you of the height. Mornings offer the crispest visibility. The warm amber light an hour before sunset is when the city looks its most dramatic, with long shadows stretching across the rooftops and the domes of old Tashkent catching the last rays.
Koinot Revolving Restaurant
The restaurant sits above the observation deck at about 109 metres and completes a full rotation in roughly an hour, so you get the entire Tashkent skyline without leaving your chair. It is divided into two halls: the Blue Hall, serving Uzbek dishes like plov and lagman, and the Red Hall, which leans toward European-style cooking. Together they seat about 120 people. The food is decent rather than exceptional. Eating while the cityscape slowly pivots past the windows is an experience worth having at least once. You might catch the scent of cumin and lamb fat drifting from the Blue Hall kitchen even before your order arrives.
Base and Grounds
The area around the tower's base is worth a slow wander. Landscaped gardens and wide paved walkways ring the structure. The scale only hits you fully when you stand directly beneath it, craning your neck until the shaft vanishes into sky. There are benches in the shade of plane trees where locals sit in the evenings. The whole area tends to feel quieter than central Tashkent. This is a welcome drop in ambient noise.
Night Illumination
After dark, the tower puts on its own show. Coloured lights cycle along the shaft, sometimes in the green and white of the Uzbek flag, sometimes in shifting sequences that play off low clouds. It is visible from huge distances across Tashkent's flat terrain. A late-evening visit to the observation deck lets you see the grid of city lights fanning outward, headlights tracing the avenues, the glow of Chorsu Bazaar's dome to the south.
Practical Information
Opening Hours
Hours have shifted over the years. The most recent listing shows the tower closed on Mondays, open Tuesday from 10:00 to 13:00 and again from 14:00 to 21:00, and open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00 to 21:00. Schedules here tend to change without much announcement. It is worth confirming on the day. Do this if you are making a trip specifically for the restaurant.
Tickets & Pricing
Tickets are bought at the ground-floor kiosk and are inexpensive by any standard. You will likely need your passport to purchase a ticket, which is consistent with the general requirement to carry ID in Uzbekistan. Dining at the Koinot restaurant costs more than simple observation deck access but still falls into the budget-friendly category. Restaurant diners sometimes skip the queue for the elevators. There is no real advantage to booking ahead. It is a walk-up situation.
Best Time to Visit
Late afternoon, arriving an hour or so before sunset, gives you the best of both worlds: clear daytime visibility followed by the city lighting up as dusk settles. Midday in summer can be punishingly bright and hot up on the deck. Early morning, while cooler, often brings a haze that softens the mountain views. Winter visits trade the heat for short days but offer cleaner air and snow on the distant peaks.
Suggested Duration
Most visitors spend about forty-five minutes to an hour: the elevator ride, a circuit of the observation deck, and some time absorbing the view. If you eat at Koinot, budget closer to two hours, since the revolving floor takes a full hour to complete its circuit and the pace of service matches the rotation. Rushing it defeats the point.
Getting There
The tower sits in northern Tashkent, back from Amir Temur street. A taxi from central Tashkent takes fifteen to twenty minutes depending on traffic. This is the easiest option. The metro is cheap and efficient. Bodomzor station on the Uzbekiston line is closest. From there, walk north. You will spot the tower long before arriving.
This makes foot navigation intuitive. Buses serve the area too. Routes shift regularly though. The metro stays simpler for newcomers. Coming from Chorsu Bazaar or Amir Timur Square, the ride north feels quick. Taxis here cost far less than in most capitals.
Things to Do Nearby
Directly opposite the TV Tower, this 17-hectare memorial complex holds a park, museum, and solemn rotunda with a symbolic nephrite tomb. Mass graves surfaced during tower construction. The memorial now marks political executions from the early twentieth century. It has a contemplative, tree-shaded counterpoint to the tower's verticality. Pairing both makes for a thought-provoking afternoon.
A short distance from the tower grounds, the zoo sprawls across a large area. Local families crowd it on weekends. It works as a natural add-on if you are already in this part of Tashkent. The shaded paths bring relief in summer heat.
A metro ride south lands you at this enormous covered market beneath its well-known blue dome. The smell of ground cumin, fresh flatbread, and dried apricots hits before you enter. Visit here in the morning. Then head north to the tower for afternoon light.
This is Tashkent's symbolic centre. An equestrian statue anchors it. Grand Soviet and post-independence buildings ring the square. Fountains cool the air on hot evenings. The square wakes up after dark. It sits roughly between the tower and the old city. This makes it a natural midpoint.
One of Tashkent's newer landmarks. Its white marble walls and turquoise dome gleam in sunlight. It lies close to the tower by taxi. The contrast between Soviet broadcast engineering and contemporary Islamic architecture speaks volumes. It shows where Tashkent has been. It hints where it is headed.
Tips & Advice
Tours & Activities at Tashkent Tv Tower
Didn't see anything interesting yet?
Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Tashkent Tv Tower.
See All Tashkent Tv Tower Tours on ViatorReady to plan your trip to Tashkent?
Now that you've got the research covered, here's where to go next.