SOVIET IDEOLOGY AND BUKHARA TOPONYMS: THE CASE OF STREETS AND GUZARS (TRADITIONAL NEIGHBORHOOD UNITS)

This article discusses the impact of ideological policies implemented during the Soviet era on the toponymic system of the city of Bukhara.
It is well known that the names of Bukhara’s traditional neighborhoods (guzars), developed over centuries, reflect not only geographical features but also embody layers of local history, culture, and social structure. The Soviet government aimed to erase the unique national memory by renaming residential areas. For this reason, many existing local names were replaced with Russian or ideologically charged ones; streets were named after figures such as Lenin, Marx, and Frunze. These changes were interpreted as a tool for shaping a new social consciousness among the population. Based on archival documents, historical maps, and statistical data, the article examines how this renaming policy was implemented in stages and analyzes the social resonance it generated within society. In the first half of the 20th century, the city of Bukhara had more than 200 neighborhoods (guzars). After the establishment of Soviet rule, one of the methods used to rapidly instill communist ideology into public consciousness was the elimination of these centuries-old neighborhood names. Streets and squares were renamed to reflect communist ideals, significant dates in Soviet history, and the names of prominent communist leaders and revolutionaries.