Samarkand
Today Samarkand is the treasure of unique antiquity spirit. It is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List due to the abundance of material and spiritual values. Unique monuments of ancient architecture, heritage of scientific and arts schools, artisans’ workshops are well-known around the world.
Lying in the river valley of the Zerafshan (gold-strewer) and flanked by Pamir-Alai mountain spurs, this fabled oasis at the fringes of the Kyzyl Kum desert has never lacked breathless admirers. Another name, City of Famous Shadows, reveals Samarkand as witness to the full sweep of Central Asian history.
Majestic and beautiful city Samarkand has a marvelous and attractive power. Poets and historians of the past called it "Rome of the East, The beauty of sublunary countries, The pearl of the Eastern Muslim World". Its advantageous geographical position in the Zarafshan valley puts Samarkand to the first place among cities of Central Asia.
Over the history this legendary city on the Silk Road went through growths and decays, suffered from destroying invasions of foreign rulers and again revived, becoming more beautiful. Trade routes to the west, to Persia, to the east, to China, to the south, to India, intersected here and formed intersections of the Silk Road.
This unique city has played a seminal role in the development of Islamic architecture and the arts. Empire after empire blew through, each leaving its mark. Alexander the Great conquered the city in 329 BC when it was already the flourishing capital of Sogdia, known to Greeks as Marakanda. It’s generally held that Alexander was so impressed that he said: “Everything I have heard about Marakanda is true, except that it is more beautiful than I ever imagined.”
“SAMARKAND – THE PLACE OF CROSSING AND SYNTHESIS OF WORLD CULTURES”
Since then the city has been part of the Persian, Seleucid, Greco-Bactrian, Kushan and Hun Empires. The people who’ve lived there, and the religions they’ve followed, are no less comprehensive. In pre-Islamic times you’d have found evidence of Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism and Nestorian Christians. Finally, in the 8th century, it was conquered by Arabs and most of the population converted to Islam. Until the invasion of Mongols in 1220, it was ruled by Samanids, Karakhanids, Seljuks and Khwarezm-Shahs. Samarkand’s heyday came with Tamerlane in the 14th and 15th centuries. Many of its most magnificent buildings date from Timurid times. From the 16th century onwards, regional khanates rise to power and ruled the region up until the Russian Imperial Conquest in 1868. Later still, Samarkand became the capital of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic from 1925 to 1930. It’s this succession of empires and intermingling of cultures and religions that added layer after layer to the fascinatingly complex city we see today. Below are the findings from Afrosiyob museum, displaying deformed skulls and Zoroastrian ossuary or burial chest.
On our tours you will have a chance to listen to the breathtaking history of the city and the legends associated with the city of Samarkand.
Top 10 Landmarks and Attractions in SAMARKAND
GUR EMIR – MAUSOLEUM OF AMIR TEMUR
Gur Emir literally translates as the “Tomb of the King” and was built between 1403 and 1404, dedicated to Tamerlane’s favorite grandson, who had recently died. This became the Emperor’s own mausoleum. Gur emir mausoleum in Samarkand
Tamerlane had intended to be interred in the city of his birth, but when he died suddenly in 1405, getting there proved impossible, so he was buried in Samarkand instead. His teacher, two sons, and two grandsons including Ulughbek are also buried there. Gur Emir is an excellent example of medieval Islamic architecture and was the catalyst for further Persian and Mughal architecture, a prototype for the Taj Mahal in India featuring two columns by its sides and large dome in the center.Gur Emir of Tamerlane in Samarkand
THE NECROPOLIS OF THE LIVING KING – SHAH-I-ZINDA
Shah-i-Zinda translates as living king, and this necropolis site is a fitting memorial place for the nobility of Samarkand. The site was used for burials from the 12th to the 19th centuries with most of its mausoleums built between the 14th and 15th centuries.
The Living King to which the name refers was the cousin of the Prophet of Islam named Kusam ibn Abbas. He got his nickname as according to the legend after the beheading, he took his head and fell into well and kept on living. To this day, it’s a wondrous place dominated by blue tiles richly decorated by geometric and calligraphic designs.blue tiles of Shahizinda in Samarkand
THE BIBI-KHANUM MOSQUE
At the time of its construction, at the beginning of the 15th century, this was a mosque that had no equal in terms of both architectural style and size. Its 40-meter high outer dome pushed the limits of engineering at the time; inside the dome was built to be ten meters shorter, giving stability to the structure. It was built under the orders of Tamerlane, who was very demanding and ordered it to be torn down several times before he was satisfied with the result. Almost a hundred elephants were brought to Samarkand from India, one of Tamerlane’s recent conquests, to help with the heavy lifting.Bibi Khanum mosque in Samarkand
ULUGHBEK’S OBSERVATORY
Little remains of Ulughbek’s Observatory. Ulughbek observatory remnants in Samarkand Once, there stood a three-story structure, the base for Tamerlane’s grandson, the scientist Ulughbek. Model of Ulughbek's Observatory The Observatory was built between 1424 and 1429 and was used to observe and calculate the movement of celestial objects. Ulughbek’s research was so important and accurate that his estimate of the length of the stellar year was only a minute out from modern day calculations. His works on astronomy, mathematics, trigonometry, and geometry were brilliant. Despite this, he was beheaded in 1449 and his observatory destroyed.
REGISTAN Square – HEART OF SAMARKAND
Registan became the new center of Samarkand after Afrosiab was destroyed by the invading Mongols. Ever since it has been Samarkand’s central square. Registan means “Sandy Place” and was the setting for important announcements and even executions. Nowadays it is the focus for national holiday celebrations and tourists from all over the world flock to see its most important buildings.Registan square in Samarkand
The first of these was completed in 1420 and is still named after Ulughbek. In this madrassa or religious school, Ulughbek taught lessons in astronomy, mathematics, and philosophy.Registan Ulugbek Madrasah
The second building was built in1636. Sher Dor madrassah sits opposite the significantly older Ulughbek madrassa. It has an interesting façade embellished with stylized, mythological tigers, a challenge to the traditional Islamic ban on depicting humans and animals.Sher Dor Madrasa in Registan, Samarkand
The third significant building is Tilya Kori madrassa, completed in 1660. It has stunning golden decoration and even its name means gilded. It was restored in the 20th century. Tillya Kori in Registan, the central building
It has stunning golden decoration and even its name means gilded. Its initial decoration required 17 kilograms of pure gold and it was restored in the 20th century. Golden building of Registan, men taking picture in national Uzbek hat
SILK PAPERMAKING IN SAMARKAND
Papermaking in Samarkand has a long history and a visit to a paper factory is something to be recommended. After their defeat in 751 at the Battle of Talas, Chinese artisans were brought by the victorious Arabs to Samarkand. There, they were milked for their methods of papermaking. Samarkand paper was of a fine quality made from mulberry trees and polished so smooth that it became one of the best quality papers in the world. From Samarkand, this method of papermaking was brought to Baghdad, from there to the Iberian Peninsula and then to the rest of Europe. Samarkand paper factory
Today you can get their various souvenirs made out of paper produced according to an ancient technique from postcards to paper masks a puppet.
SILK PRODUCTION
Another workshop to visit is a silk carpet factory. Located at the crossroads of the Great Silk Road, Samarkand has long had its own silk production traditions. Nowadays you can learn about the process of making silk, order your own real silk carpet or buy a silk scarf. Samarkand silk carpet
SAMARKAND’S SIYOB BAZAAR
Siyob Bazaar has been the base of traders since ancient times. Those traveling the Silk Road brought handicrafts as well as fresh produce, such as peaches and melons from the nearby Zarafshan Valley. Many of these same goods can be found at the bazaar today. Siyob bazaar Samarkand The market is sectioned off, each area focusing on a different type of product. One thing to look out for is one of the twenty varieties of a local flatbread called lepeshka. This hard, round loaf kept fresh longer and in Tamerlane’s time was vital in providing sustenance for the Emperor’s troops.Samarkand traditional bread
Ancient city AFROSIAB:
There’s not much left of Afrosiab, but when Samarkand was founded around the 7th century BC, this hilly mound and its fertile hinterland were easy to defend and equally capable of supporting its population. Excavations have shown that the city was surrounded by ten-meter-thick walls. They enclosed a palace and citadel as well as separate areas for different crafts. One of the most important finds are remnants of murals depicting the giving of gifts to the city’s ruler. There is, amongst others, a Chinese princess on the boat with her musicians, a Korean ambassador and members of the Persian and Turkic elite. One can see patterns, design and clothing style of the ancient silk trade. From this, we glean a little of the importance of the Silk Road, a tantalizing glimpse of society before Islam, when depictions of living creatures was forbidden.
Modern Attractions in SAMARKAND
Family Park - is a small city of entertainment and recreation for the whole family.
Features of the thematic entertainment center Family Park are:
• ice rink - the largest after Humo Arena with a capacity of up to 1850 seats, where international competitions and events will be held. Also, the ice rink is open to ordinary visitors who want to learn how to skate;
• the largest cinema;
• karting center equipped with advanced equipment from Great Britain;
• entertainment center for young visitors;
• the largest supermarket in the city;
• bowling alley for family pastimes.
This is a special complex where famous brands from all over the world are represented: Indenim, Okaidi, LC Waikiki, Just, OTG, Yves Rocher, Pandora and many others. In addition, there is a separate food court with well-known catering brands: Giotto, Bellissimo Pizza, BBQ, KFC and others.
Family Park is one of the largest entertainment centers in the country, located on an area of 43,000 sq.m.