Samarkand

In the south-east of Uzbekistan, in the beautiful valley of the Zerafshan River, surrounded by the Pamir-Alay Mountains, lies one of the oldest cities (the centre of the historical region and state of Sogdiana) of Central Asia – Samarkand.

Well situated between India, Persia and China, it has for centuries been a key point on the Great Silk Road. During its long history Samarkand has been exposed to numerous destructive raids and conquests, fell into a complete decline and was reborn again, becoming more beautiful with every reconstruction.

Now Samarkand is recognized as a historical centre of world culture and in 2001 it was inscribed in the UNESCO list.

The city was founded around the VIII century B.C. The city almost disappeared from the face of the earth after invasion of Genghis Khan’s troops, it recovered and flourished and became in XIV century the capital of huge empire of Tamerlane and Timurid dynasty (1370-1499). Under Ulugh Beg, Tamerlane’s grandson, a great number of madrassahs were built in the city, scholars were invited and Samarkand became one of the cornerstone centers of science not only in the East, but also in the world.

Samarkand is also unique in that almost all monuments of Tamerlane’s architecture have survived. In 2001 Samarkand was included by UNESCO into the World Heritage List as a city – Crossroads of Cultures. The unique monuments of ancient architecture, centres of national handicrafts, rich heritage of scientific and art schools are known today all over the world and attract not only researchers but also numerous tourists from many countries of the world.

Samarkand lost the status of the capital centre with coming to power of shaybanid Ubaidulla (1533-1540) who has transferred the capital to Bukhara.

If we refer to the history of new and modern times, in 1868 the town was taken by Russian troops and joined the Russian Empire as the centre of Zeravshan district and since 1887 Samarkand region. After revolution of 1917 Samarkand has been referred to Turkestan ASSR. In 1925-1930 was the capital of Uzbek SSR, and since 1938 Samarkand again lost the status of the capital, and became the centre of Samarkand region.

The main attraction of Samarkand is Registan Square, one of the most beautiful squares in the world, surrounded by a great number of majestic ancient buildings, minarets and mausoleums. The art of glazed cladding there has reached its highest point: on many old structures there is not the slightest area without decoration. A striking example is the Tillya-Kari Madrasah.

In addition to the main square, the Ishrathon Mausoleum, a magnificent architectural monument associated with Tamerlane, where the women of the Timurid dynasty are buried, is a must-see. There are several other important mausoleums in the city. Gur Emir, for instance, is where Tamerlane himself found his last resting place. The ascetic Ruhabad is considered one of the oldest buildings in Samarkand. Another unusual tomb – Khoja Donier – traditionally attracts Christian tourists because the biblical prophet Daniel was buried there.

The Ulugbek Observatory, a striking example of Samarkand’s ancient scientific power, is worth a visit from the inside and out.

And of course, you should not miss Bibi Khanum Mosque. This majestic building is considered to be the biggest mosque in Central Asia, and even if not all the buildings have survived, it is still fascinating and impressive.

Numerous historical and cultural sites, Islamic shrines, marvelous landscapes created by nature are located in the vicinity of the city.

Samarkand’s climate is distinctly seasonal. Winters are usually mild and temperatures do not often fall below 0 °C. As sharp cold spells are very rare and mostly at night. Summers are very hot, so don’t forget to pack a hat and sunglasses.

What to Bring Back from Samarkand

While walking around the sights of the city be sure to pay attention to the drawings made on a piece of leather and framed with pieces of wood. Women will not be able to pass by the finest shawls made by Samarkand masters, handmade bags and beautiful jewellery.

And of course, don’t leave Samarkand without buying real Samarkand flatbread! You will not see them anywhere else. Dense, fragrant and beautiful, they can be perfectly preserved for at least a week.