Many travellers arrive in Dushanbe, the capital and gateway of Tajikistan, and dash off for an adventure, perhaps hiking in the Fann Mountains or driving along the famously dramatic Pamir Highway. Yet this vibrant city along the Varzob (Dushanbinka) River in the Gissar valley, in the southwest of the republic offers plenty to see in just 48 hours.

Whether you are a hobbyist strolling a new city, a travel blogger looking to share spectacular sights with your readers, or a professional photographer looking for a new niche, the architecture around us all the time is exciting and varied subject.

• Always Use a Tripod
• Composition for Building Photography
• Control Perspective

Take a walk in a park

Look out in particular for the red and white parliament building and the iconic Rokhat Teahouse, which is a good spot to stop for a cuppa whilst you admire the intricately painted interior.  

Mary Doe

Architecture is the design of buildings and living spaces; it’s an art to itself that many people enjoy and appreciate. To photograph buildings, you are taking pictures of someone else’s work. But in doing so, you capture how the building exists in the real world after it has been built, something that the architects only dream of.

Our planet’s wildlife faces urgent threats from all sides: climate change, deforestation, and animal-human conflict. Today’s wildlife photographers can help advocate for their protection, but they can also cause damage to the environment, intentionally or otherwise.

Discover the past

Tajikistan has a long and rich history, and the best place to learn about it is in the National Museum of Antiquities on Academics Rajabov Street. It’s an attractive neo-classical building with galleries spread across two floors. Ask at the ticket desk for an English speaking guide as not all of the exhibits are labelled.

The highlights of the museum’s collections are the vivid Sogdian wall paintings excavated from Ancient Penjikent (a UNESCO World Heritage Site in western Tajikistan) and also the huge sculpture of a sleeping buddha from the Ajina Tepa monastery.