Copyright Stephen Lioy - Photography and Travel Media

Osh Bazaar

Bishkek


Bishkek's most central bazaar has a certain compulsive interest and is an important city landmark. For traditional Kyrgyz clothes, including white imitation-felt ak kalpak hats (80som) and colourful shepherds' chests, find the stalls outside the south tip of the bazaar's Khial building. Mondays are quiet, but on any other day it bustles.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Bishkek attractions

1. Gallery M

0.92 MILES

This one-room gallery hosts rotating thematic exhibitions of works primarily by local artists. Much of it is for sale, and there is a handful of applied…

2. Art Group 705

1.15 MILES

Well-curated irregular exhibitions on a wide variety of themes and a grungy hipster-chic space make this a great stop for art seekers. Go through the gate…

3. Sadykov Sculpture Museum

1.34 MILES

Worth a quick look for the variety of sculptures (both working models and finished versions) of famous Kyrgyz and fabled legends, though it's a small…

4. Holy Resurrection Cathedral

1.47 MILES

The bright blue spires of this Russian Orthodox cathedral, opened in 1947, stand out along Jibek Jolu. The spartan interior, decorated with icons and…

5. White House

1.53 MILES

The seat of government in Kyrgyzstan, the sidewalk out front of this Stalinist Modern construction is also the site of regular protests organised by local…

6. Panfilov Park

1.55 MILES

Packed with amusements and carnival rides, this city-centre park is particularly pleasant and popular with local families on summer weekends.

7. Ala-Too Square

1.71 MILES

Surveyed by a triumphant statue of Айкол Манас (Mighty Manas), Bishkek's nominal centre is architecturally neobrutalist in style but has a photogenic…

8. Lenin Statue

1.73 MILES

Having once dominated Ala-Too Square, Vladimir Ilyich turned his back on the mountains in 2003 and now lurks behind the National Historical Museum.