Left to right: Jahongir Artikkhodjaev, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Ilham Aliyev. Photo: Press Service of the President of Azerbaijan
Former Tashkent mayor and businessman Jahongir Artikkhodjaev is spearheading a major project to build the “Uzbekistan Park” in Baku, according to a report on the project presentation he gave to the presidents of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan on July 2.
During the event, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who was on a state visit to Baku, jointly laid a symbolic capsule at the future site of the complex.
Uzbekistan Park is envisioned as a cultural and recreational complex that will showcase the rich history, architecture, and traditions of Uzbekistan, highlighting cities such as Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, and Kokand. According to Aliyev’s press service, the five-hectare site will be shaped like a map of Uzbekistan and will be located in the upscale “Ag Sheher” (“White City”) district of the Azerbaijani capital.
The complex will include replicas of architectural monuments, a museum, cinema, amphitheater, tower, aquarium, wax museum, flying theater, indoor family entertainment center, shopping avenue, zoo, hotel, and an artificial beach with golden sand. Artisan workshops and retail areas will feature traditional Uzbek crafts, while local restaurants will offer national cuisine.
Artikkhodjaev noted that leading Uzbek architects are involved in the project, along with the Australian firm Sanderson Group, which will design internal infrastructure. The park is expected to become a new symbol of friendship and cultural exchange between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, with projected annual attendance of 800,000. Construction will begin once approvals are complete and is expected to take two years. The project’s estimated cost is $80 million.
ℹ️ Jahongir Artikkhodjaev served as mayor (hokim) of Uzbekistan’s capital from April 2018 to January 16, 2023. He is the founder of the Akfa Group, known for projects such as the Magic City amusement park, Hilton Tashkent City hotel, Akfa Medline medical center, Central Asian University (CAU), and the CAEx Uzbekistan exhibition complex. In May 2024, it was announced that Akfa Group would also develop The Grand Serai, a 28-hectare themed park in Uzbekistan with an investment of over $200 million.
