Ferghana owes much of its layout to the military engineer-builder Sinclair, who organized the project for the construction of the Military Assembly building (now known as the “Officers’ Club”). The construction is among the oldest in the city.
Construction History
In 1878, alongside Ferghana’s first public buildings, the foundation for the Garrison Officers’ Club was laid. Construction was completed in just one year, and during the pre-revolutionary period, it was referred to as the “Military Assembly.” After the revolution, it became the “House of the Red Army,” then the “House of the Soviet Army,” and currently, the building is known as the “Officers’ Club.”
The design of the Military Assembly building belongs to the military engineer Sinclair. Thanks to his quality education supplemented by his own talent, a beautiful and memorable building was created in the center of Ferghana. Moreover, it was Sinclair who contributed to the city’s well-thought-out planning and well-organized streets. Later, during the Soviet era, several extensions were added to the Military Assembly building. They slightly disrupted the original architectural concept and symmetry but, at the same time, visually emphasized the significance of the structure by extending the facade. Behind the semicircular rotunda lies the city park.
Fate of the Building
The name “Officers’ Club” is well justified, as Ferghana had a significant military presence, especially among officers. The Military Assembly building housed two halls: one for dances and a spectator hall, along with a library, billiards, and relaxation rooms. In the evenings, this place turned into a kind of club for officers and other city residents.
From its inception, the Military Assembly building hosted brass band concerts. Military orchestras, fully staffed (around 140 people), performed, with many musicians and military conductors having a musical education. The concerts attracted the entire city’s intelligentsia, including officers’ families, and music enthusiasts. These events made a significant contribution to the city’s cultural life.
During the Soviet era, the Military Assembly building continued to serve dual functions: a cultural center for citizens and a venue for both ideological-professional and mass events for the officer corps. It was called the “House of the Red Army” in the 1920s-1930s, and later the “House of the Soviet Army” from the 1940s-1980s. Regardless of its name, this place remembers sending soldiers to the front during the Great Patriotic War, military command meetings, and those who served in Ferghana during wartime. From letters and other archival documents, one can trace the stories of people who started their service in the city as young lieutenants and often ended their service here as commanders of units or formations.
The Military Assembly building, one way or another, touched the lives of almost every resident of Ferghana during those times: New Year’s celebrations for children, dances for young men and women, cinema shows, concerts, and creative evenings for men and women. Its activities were diverse and not always related to military events. In addition to cultural events, dances, performances, movies, and concerts, sports competitions (table tennis and boxing), studios, courses, art, and philatelic exhibitions were organized here. In the park near the current Officers’ Club, dog shows and exhibitions were held for dog lovers. Before the widespread appearance of public catering establishments, the building also had a summer buffet where employees of nearby institutions would have lunch, and after work, it was pleasant to enjoy draft beer.
In the post-war period, the main purpose of the Officers’ Club was, of course, dance evenings. Their program was sometimes posted in advance, and for young people, it was a special rhythm of life and leisure. It happened that the dance hall accommodated about 500 people for an evening, and in the summer, dancing took place in the park in the open air, often accompanied by live music.
In 1998, the Officers’ Club underwent renovation: the walls were refreshed and updated, both porches were returned to their original appearance, the basement was laid with stone, and the adjacent park was tidied up and redesigned.
Address: Bursa Street, Fergana