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LEGENDARY SAMARKAND

Samarkand has a rich history and played vital role in Great Silk Road. Its historical monuments playing as tourist attractions still witness the past glory of the legendary city! It is famous for its carpets, bread, tours, trips…

Praise: Samarkand-“Eden of the East” 

“If there were a paradise in this world, then this paradise should be Samarkand.”a quotation by Ata-Malik Juvaini 


Samarkand history and its role in the Great Silk Road

Samarkand (Samarkanda, Samarcanda), a legendary city with the age of 2750 years, can easily compete with Babylon or Rome! Also, it was popular with such names as Marakanda and Sogdiana in history!

The history of Samarkand witnessed many brutal warriors such as Alexander the Great, the Arabian invaders, Genghis-Khan Conqueror, and Tamerlane. Finally, during the XIV-XV centuries, it became the capital of Tamerlane’s empire. Thus, it experienced its most significant development in education, culture, architecture, and all other spheres. And so many majestic structures from that time have still been reflecting the world of Islam.

Samarkand’s geographically favorable location on the crossroads of the Silk Road helped the city to be a commercial hub of Central Asia. Traders of the Great Silk Road mainly used Samarkand’s Sogdian silk money and Sogdian language internationally. Thus, throughout Samarkand’s history, the invaders attacked Samarkand and destroyed most of the religious architectural treasures. However, the major historical Samarkand monuments have been preserved.

Tourist attractions of Samarkand and their role in tourism

Nowadays, legendary Samarkand has become the jewelry of Central Asia, thanks to its historical monuments. Because several centuries-aged architectural monuments and complexes are unique examples.

During a trip to Samarkand, one can see the main features of the city’s ancient architecture in their astonishing portals, giant colored domes with their remarkable exterior decorations in majolica, mosaic, marble, and gold. As a result, this legendary city became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2001.

Samarkand bread is so famous and an inseparable topic as its architectural monuments. Because it is different and unique demonstrating the spirit of legendary Samarkand. That’s why; the majority of tourists who visit Samarkand can’t help buying its bread. Actually, the original Samarkand bread should last and be eatable for at least three days!

A lot of travelers are inspired by the Samarkand journey by James Elroy Flecker‘s world-known historical poem “The Golden Road to Samarkand”. Moreover, they would love to recite the poem upon starting the tour of Samarkand:

We travel not for trafficking alone;

By hotter winds our fiery hearts are fanned:

For lust of knowing what should not be known,

We take the Golden Road to Samarkand”

 

Thus, the unique experience of the Oriental city awaits your visit!


 

The main tourist sights/attractions of the Samarkand excursions:

  • Afrosiyob Museum;
  • Afrosiyob settlement ruins (VII century BC-AD XII centuries);
  • Al-Maturidi mausoleum;
  • Bibi-Khanum mosque (XV century);
  • Chor Chinor complex (XX century);
  • Gur Emir mausoleum (XV century);
  • Hazrat Khizr mosque (XIX century);
  • Hudjum silk carpet factory;
  • Imam Al-Bukhari complex (XX century);
  • Ishratkhana Mausoleum (XV century);
  • Khodja Akhrar complex (XV-XX centuries);
  • Khodja Daniyar / Prophet Daniel Mausoleum (XV century);
  • Khoja Abdi Darun/Darunee Mausoleum (XII-XV centuries);
  • Koni Gil silk paper making center;
  • Mitan village;
  • Registan square (Ulugbek Medresah, Tilya Kori Medresah and Sherdor Medresah) (XV-XVII centuries);
  • Rukhabad Mausoleum (XIV century);
  • Samarkand Museum of Culture and History;
  • Shakh-i Zinda complex (XI-XIX centuries);
  • Siyob/Siab/Siyab bazaar;
  • Ulugbek Observatory (XV century);
  • Urgut Bazaar.

 

PHOTOS of SAMARKAND: