 |
| Exploring Samarkand |
Samarkand. It conjures up so much when you say the name.
One of the oldest inhabited cities of Central Asia, Samarkand was a legendary Silk Road stop, being strategically situated between China and Europe, in modern day Uzbekistan.
During the 14th century, Samarkand came under the rule of the conquerer Tamerlane, who had a passion and commitment for the arts. In fact, it is said that while being ruthless with his enemies, he would spare the lives of skilled artisans and craftspeople and bring them to Samarkand to improve the city, which is clearly seen through the city’s ornate architecture. With an impressive skyline of domes and minarets you can see why Samarkand is the star destination of Uzbekistan. Looking closer at each of these sights, you will see an incredible amount of intricate detail with the use of ornate tile work in an array of blues and turquoises.
No Uzbekistan tour would be complete with visiting these notable architectural marvels including:
The Registan - a public square surround by three madrassas, Ulugh Beg, Tilya Kori and Sher-Doh.
Babi-Khanym - one of the most important buildings in Samarkand - it was once the largest and grandest mosques in the world.
Gur-e Amir - a mausoleum which contains the tombs of Tamerlane and his sons.
Shah-i-Zinda - a necropolis that contains a cluster of mausoleums and areas for religious rituals.
Not only is Samarkand an architecturally significant city, it still is home to many craftspeople and artisans, and thus you will see an abundance of hand made textile and ceramic pieces including embroidered suzanis and hand painted dinnerware, which make for a special Silk Road souvenir for your home.
After exploring each of the amazing sights in Samarkand, sit back, have some tea and enjoy the incredible city skyline that sits before your eyes.
Visit Uzbekistan and the rest of ‘the Stans’ by booking your trip with Blue Dot! Click here.After exploring each of the amazing sights in Samarkand, sit back, have some tea and enjoy the incredible city skyline that sits before your eyes.
 |
| Map of Uzbekistan |
 |
| Tile details at the Registan |
 |
| Sher-Dor Madrassa |
 |
| The entrance to Gur-e Amir |
 |
| Inside Gur-e Amir |
 |
| Beautiful tile details at Shah-i-Zinda |
 |
| Walking through Shah-i-Zinda |
 |
| Bibi-Khanym Mosque |
 |
| The Samarkand skyline |
No comments:
Post a Comment