Bishkek - Oak Park

Oak Park or "Duboviy Park" (also Chyngyz-Aitmatov Park) is the oldest park in Bishkek and is located in the heart of the city. It is one of the most beautiful and idyllic places in the capital, and a trip to Bishkek would be incomplete without visiting it.

The history of the park began in the pre-revolutionary period, in 1890, when the Gardeners' Club, led by botanist A.M.Fetisov, began planting trees around the former St. Nicholas Church, which now houses an art gallery. Incidentally, the gallery building, built in 1885 and located in the Oak Park ("Duboviy Park") is considered one of the oldest buildings in Bishkek and is included in the list of historical and cultural monuments of national importance.

In 1914, the Edison Cinema, which no longer exists, was opened in the park, the first cinema in Kyrgyzstan.

In 1919, after the founding of the Soviet Union, the Red Army soldiers who defended the young Soviet state against the rebellious White Guards were buried in the park. Today, on their grave stands a monument erected in 1970 with cast-iron cannons and an eternal flame lit to commemorate the fallen of the Great Patriotic War.

The park is also home to the Chingis Aitmatov Theatre of Russian Drama. The building is an outstanding example of constructivist architecture.

Other attractions in the park include the 12-bowl fountain, an impressive open-air sculpture museum and a statue of Kyrgyz Queen Kurmanjan Datke.