Bishkek - Capital of Kyrgyzstan
Bishkek, which has a population of around 1 million inhabitants, is the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Bishkek is situated at around 2.625 meters (800 m) above the sea level in the Chuy Valley at the north end of the Kyrgyz Ala-Too Range.
Bishkek was first mentioned in the fortified building of Pishpec, built by the Khanate in 1825. The caravan routes between Tashkent Lake and Issyk-Kul lake through the Chuy valley are being established in the protection of Pishpek. The fort was ruined and the region was transformed into the edge of the Russian empire after a war between Russian imperial forces and Kokand’s Khanate in 1860. In 1897 Pishpek’s population amounted to 6,600, and was not a county.
The town quickly evolved under Soviet control. Pishpek, the seat of today’s Kyrgyzstan, became the Karakur-Kyrgyz autonomous Oblast in 1925. In 1926 Pishpek became Frunze, named after Mikhail Frunze, the anarchist and military leader. The city airport code – FRU also shows Frunze. The city was again renamed Bishkek in 1991. Experts claim the “bishkek” stick for the common fermented drinking kumis is the stick used for the churning of lake milk.
Headquartered today, Bishkek is one of the biggest cities in Central Asia. The population is more than a million, representing more than 80 nationalities. Russian is the principal language of foreign contact, but Kyrgyz and English are also common.
In Bishkek there are several large museums, the Historical Museum, the Fine Arts Museum and the Frunze House Museum are the most interesting. The Opera and Ballet Theatre, the Russian and Kyrgyz Theatres, the Bishkek City Theater and the State Philharmonic are all performing for you! There are several venues, including art galleries, music festivals and numerous exciting activities, which play pop musicians and artists.
The unique past of Bishkek is shown in many ways. In the city center there are a number of Soviet landmarks, including Ala Too Square, Historical Museum and Philharmonic Orchestra as well as monuments such as the Red Guards Memorial and the Revolution Martyr’s Monument. Check out more younger Manas, manaschy statues (those who recite Manas’s Epic) and government crime murderers in 2002 and 2010. Bishkek is also known to be one of Central Asia’s greenest towns and is popular in summer as Oak Park, the Erkindik Boulevard and Panfilov Park.