The Tashkent Earthquake of 1966: Uzbekistan's Soviet Rebuilding

The Story of Uzbekistan: Silk Road Kingdoms and Soviet Legacy — Fexingo History · May 11, 2026 · 6m · transcript

In 1966, a massive earthquake leveled much of Tashkent, the capital of Soviet Uzbekistan. This episode dives into the disaster's immediate aftermath, the Soviet Union's massive rebuilding effort, and how the quake reshaped the city's architecture and demographics. We explore the role of Soviet engineers, the influx of Russian and Ukrainian workers, and the long-term impact on Tashkent's identity. Learn about the 8.0 magnitude quake that struck at 5:23 AM on April 26, 1966, the subsequent construction of standardized Soviet apartment blocks, and how the city became a symbol…