This colossal Soviet-era resort in Tajikistan is the dream late summer escape | Concrete Ideas

Khoja Obi Garm, a concrete-heavy Soviet sanatorium perched on the mountains of Tajikistan’s Gissar Range, is an unlikely holiday destination. Yet, for those willing to make the journey, their stay in this colossal resort, complete with a number of unusual services on offer, is likely to be a memorable one.

Perched 2,000 metres above sea level, the structure seems at odds with the otherwise lush, snow-dusted peaks that surround it. Khoja Obi Garm was built between 1935 and 1983 in the vicinity of Varzob, a mountain village just 30-minute drive from the Tajikistani capital of Dushanbe. The building process took place in stages under the lead of multiple architects, resulting in a mesmerising mismatch of styles. From the terraced balconies overlooking the valley to the trapezoidal, perpendicular annex, Khoja Obi Garm incorporates a whole range of Soviet-era architecture, from 1930s constructivism to late 1970s brutalism. Standing atop a river gorge, the seven-storey structure resembles a hydroelectric power plant rather than a quaint mountain hotel, and it hosts no less than 700 rooms, as well as multiple spa facilities and exhibition halls.

In line with its odd structure, the resort’s unusual specialty is its healing radon treatment, that offers radon-infused pools, baths, showers, and steam rooms. While radon is radioactive, and long-term exposure is harmful, Soviet spas claimed that it could be used in small quantities to relieve chronic pain and fatigue. Unlike many other Soviet-era resorts in Tajikistan and elsewhere in the region, Khoja Obi Garm is still up and running, although at a lower capacity, throughout the year, and is a great base from which to set off on scenic hikes around the area.