The Tashkent Circus building is one of the most beautiful in the city. It seems to float above the ancient square, resembling a flying saucer. By many accounts, our circus is one of the most expressive in the world.

Circus art in Tashkent has ancient roots: maskaraboz (jesters) and askiyachi (witty performers) have performed here since time immemorial. From the 1880s, touring artists from Russia began arriving. In the early 20th century, circus shows were held in the “Coliseum” built by industrialist Tsintsadze. Later, the building became the Sverdlov Concert Hall, then a stock exchange after independence; now it is assigned to the Uzbekistan State Conservatory.

In 1914, Tashkent’s first dedicated circus building opened — on the site where the State Museum of Uzbekistan’s History now stands. In 1920, the Tashkent State Circus (Tashgostsirk) was established under “Soyuzgostsirk,” initially serving as a rental venue for tours. The first Tashkent troupe appeared in 1928 under Karim Zaripov’s leadership. It was then that Uzbek circus dynasties — the Zaripovs, Tashkenbayevs, and others — began to form, later gaining fame far beyond the country.

In 1942, the Uzbek Circus Collective was created in Tashkent — the first national ensemble in the former USSR.

The circus building was destroyed in the 1966 earthquake. Until the new building opened in 1976, artists performed in a mobile tent circus on the site of today’s Broadway.

The new circus was built in the Khadra district, near the Gafur Gulam metro station and Abdulla Qodiriy Park. Its huge blue dome is visible from afar. The round building is executed in Eastern style: the facade is adorned with a decorative lattice — panjaroy, the interior with stained glass, ceramic mosaics, wood carvings, and ganch. The auditorium doors are made of walnut wood and inlaid with multi-level patterns.

The uniqueness of the design lies in the fact that the load-bearing pylons supporting the dome are placed outside. This original engineering solution emphasizes the building’s monumentality while giving it lightness and a fairytale quality. Thanks to this technique, additional space was freed up inside the auditorium and circular foyer. Another feature is the absence of a clearly defined main entrance.

A walking area with two fountains has been arranged next to the circus, breathing new life into the ancient Khadra Square. Interestingly, the squares in front of the Circus and the Palace of Friendship of Peoples are aligned on the same axis, forming a unified ensemble of the capital’s cultural spaces.

After independence, the Republican Association “Uzbekkostsirk” was established. All these years, the circus has delighted adults and children with vibrant performances featuring riders and predators, jugglers, aerial gymnasts, and, of course, clowns.

Talks of an upcoming reconstruction have been ongoing for several years — the building needs new seats, ventilation, and engineering systems. Tashkent residents await the renewed circus — with the same festive spirit, but in a new guise.