The main north-south boulevard of Dushanbe, running from the flagpole area south past the national library, parliament, and central park, is the spine of the city and its most pleasant neighbourhood for walking. The broad tree-lined sidewalks have been maintained and upgraded since independence, and the avenue has a genuine sense of civic pride.
Most of Dushanbe's major institutions — the national library, the museums, the government buildings — line Rudaki Avenue or are a short walk from it. The Rokhat Teahouse, the central park, and the Ethnographic Museum are all here. In the evenings the avenue fills with strollers; in summer, the trees provide welcome shade.