Dushanbe Day in Tajikistan Date in the current year: April 20, 2024

Dushanbe is the capital and largest city of Tajikistan. Its history can be traced back to the 17th century, although people had settled near what is now Dushanbe long before that. The first recorded mention of Dushanbe is dated 1676, but the settlement is thought to have been established about half a century earlier.

The town’s original name was “Kasabai Dushanbe”; Kasabai means “town” and Dushanbe means “Monday” in Persian. The name was a reference to a large bazaar (market) that operated in the town of Mondays. Dushanbe became an important trade center due to its convenient location between several major caravan routes.

By the first quarter of the 19th century, the town was called Dushanbe Qurghan (“Dushanbe fortress”). During the conquest of Central Asia by the Russian Empire, its name was Russified as Dyushambe. In the 19th century, it was a developed market town with a caravanserai, madrasas, mosques and teahouses, as well as a major regional center for iron smelting, tanning, and weaving.

Following the establishment of the Soviet regime, Dushanbe became the capital of the Tajik Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in 1924. Although there were towns with a larger population in Tajikistan at the time, Dushanbe was chosen as the capital because of its location, its status as a market town and therefore a meeting place for much of Tajikistan’s population, and its Mediterranean climate.

The Tajik ASSR was transformed into the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic in 1929. Its capital was renamed Stalinabad in honor of Joseph Stalin and incorporated several nearby villages. During the following years, Stalinabad became a major center for cotton and silk production and grew rapidly. Its population increased even more during World War II due to the city being a major evacuation destination. Stalinabad was renamed back to Dushanbe in 1961 as part of de-Stalinization.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Dushanbe became the capital of a newly independent Tajikistan. For most of the Tajik Civil War, it was controlled by the Popular Front of Tajikistan that backed the government of Emomali Rahmon, although the United Tajik Opposition managed to capture the capital for a brief period of time in 1992.

Present-day Dushanbe is the administrative, political, economic, industrial, scientific, and cultural center of Tajikistan. With a population of over 1.2 million people, it is the largest city in the country. Some of the city’s major sights include the National Museum of Tajikistan, the National Museum of Antiquities, the Ismailia Center, the Dushanbe Flagpole, the Palace of Unity (Vahdat Palace), Rudaki Avenue, and Dushanbe Zoo.

Dushanbe Day was established by the Law of the Republic of Tajikistan “On Holidays”. The holiday is traditionally marked with various events and activities celebrating Tajikistan’s capital. They include sports competitions, including the annual Dushanbe Half-marathon, fairs, concerts, and other cultural events.