Samarkand

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Samarkand is a very old city. The city reached its economic, cultural and intellectual peak during the rule of the ruthless warrior Timur, his grandson Ulughbek and the Uzbek Shaybanids in the 14th and 15th centuries. During that period it was one of Islam's most important cities and most of its attractions were built. Most of the interesting sights in Samarkand are situated in the old town and the majority of them are the work of Timur.

The Registan consists of a collection of beautiful medressas decorated with majolica tile work and azure mosaics. On the premises are several marvelously proportioned spaces. The Registan is one of Central Asia's most amazing sights. Not far from the Registan are the ruins of the huge Bibi-Khanym Mosque. It was built by Timur and at the time it was one of the world's largest mosques. Unfortunately it was built on such a grand scale that construction techniques available at the time were pushed to the limit and caused the building slowly to degrade. An earthquake in 1897 put too much restraint on the mosque and it collapsed.

The Shahi-Zinda is a street lined with tombs from Timur's and Ulughbek's family members and friends. It is said one of the tombs holds the remains of a much-revered cousin of the prophet Muhammad. Many of the tombs have beautiful majolica decorations.

The main bazar, which is located around the Bibi-Khanym Mosque is a colorful, bustling market where people from all over the area come to buy and sell their goods. It is an excellent place to watch people from all possible ethnic groups in Uzbekistan.

There are numerous hotels and restaurants in town. Food can also be purchased from the colorful bazaars. Samarkand has air connections with Tashkent, but it is also possible to make the trip by train or bus. Transportation to numerous other places in the country is also available. Samarkand is 270 km southwest of Tashkent.