Chigatay is Tashkent's historic Muslim cemetery, in use since the 15th century. Located in the eastern part of the city in the Chigatay district. The oldest continuously active cemetery in Uzbekistan; among its oldest burials are graves of Timurid-era sheikhs, poets and scholars.
Structure. Historic zones. Northern: oldest (15th–18th centuries), single stones from those eras with carved Kufic inscriptions. Central: 19th century, imperial Russian period; standard Uzbek Muslim burials. Southern and eastern: 20th century and post-Soviet; denser, modern monuments with ceramic photo plates.
Notable graves. Mausoleum of Sheikh Zaynuddin — 15th century, central pilgrimage site. Several Soviet Uzbek public figures. A military sector with WWII-evacuated Uzbek and other Muslim soldiers — relatively small but regularly visited on May 9.
Transport. City buses 12, 49, 75 to «Chigatay» stop. 10–15 minutes by taxi from Tashkent centre.
Archive and search. Records book from the 1880s (partial, supplemented by mosque records). Digitized from 2015. Search success ~90% for post-Soviet, ~70% Soviet, ~40% pre-Soviet. Queries in Uzbek or Russian; 5–12 working days.
Care state. Regular on main paths and significant graves. Periphery variable; some old stones heavily weathered.
What we do. Search (5–12 days). Subscriptions 4–12/year — typical for Bukharian-Uzbek and other Muslim families. Seasonal packages around Eid al-Adha, Eid al-Fitr, the death anniversary. Restoration of old stones (15th–18th centuries) — specialty service with carvers of historical styles.
Frequently asked questions
Limited — mostly relative-extension burials into existing family plots. Free space is shrinking; new burials shift to Domabad. Families without an existing Chigatay plot find Domabad easier.