Nukus: A Soviet-era city built on the edge of a vanishing sea

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Once a small settlement, Nukus transformed into a modern capital of Karakalpakstan. Beyond its broad avenues and Soviet architecture, the city hides a complex history as a former chemical weapons testing site and a sanctuary for forbidden avant-garde art that escaped the reach of central authorities.

Officially founded in 1932, Nukus emerged as the administrative core of the autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan after the threat of flooding forced the relocation of the previous capital, Turtkul. By the 1950s, the city had been reshaped into a modern urban center with wide boulevards and significant public buildings. Its remote location, however, served a dual purpose: it protected the city from the full influence of Soviet authorities, allowing the preservation of unique cultural treasures, but also made it an ideal site for the Red Army's Chemical Research Institute. This facility functioned as a primary testing ground for the Novichok agent until it was dismantled in 2002 under a $6 million Cooperative Threat Reduction program.

The city is perhaps most famous for the I. V. Savitsky State Museum of Art. Often cited as one of the world's most beautiful museums, it houses a massive collection of Russian avant-garde works from 1918 to 1935. Igor Savitsky, the museum's namesake, managed to curate this collection because the city's isolation shielded these works from the censorship prevalent elsewhere in the Soviet Union. Today, the museum serves as a vital repository for both international art and the material culture of the Karakalpak people, including ancient artifacts from Khorezm and traditional folk crafts.

Nukus sits in a region facing severe environmental challenges. Since 1960, the drying of the Aral Sea and the Amu Darya river has significantly altered the local climate, creating a hotter, drier environment and increasing health risks from airborne chemicals and salt. Despite these pressures, the city remains a hub for education and research, hosting numerous institutes and the Karakalpak branch of the Academy of Sciences. Recent years have seen political tension, most notably in July 2022, when protests against proposed constitutional changes regarding the region's autonomy resulted in 19 deaths.

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