Samarkand is Uzbekistan's Silk Road showpiece, a 2,700-year-old city of turquoise domes, the Registan's three madrasas, Timur's tomb and the tiled mausoleums of Shah-i-Zinda.
Samarkand grew from the Sogdian city of Afrasiab into a Silk Road hub, was destroyed by the Mongols in 1220, and was reborn as Timur's capital from 1370, when its great mosques, madrasas and mausoleums were built. Under Ulugh Beg in the 15th century it became a centre of science, and after centuries of decline under the Shaybanids and Russian rule, UNESCO inscribed it in 2001.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Samarkand.
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1
Maracanda (Afrasiab) founded
The hilltop city of Afrasiab develops into the capital of Sogdiana on the trade routes between Persia, China and the steppe.
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2
Alexander the Great takes Maracanda
Alexander captures the city, which the Greeks call Maracanda, during his campaign in Central Asia.
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3
Arab conquest
Arab armies take Samarkand and Islam spreads; after the Battle of Talas in 751, papermaking is said to reach the city.
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4
Genghis Khan destroys Afrasiab
Mongol forces sack the old city; the settlement later shifts to the south.
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5
Timur makes Samarkand his capital
Timur (Tamerlane) establishes his capital and fills the city with mosques, mausoleums and gardens built by captured craftsmen.
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6
Ulugh Beg Madrasa
Ulugh Beg builds the first madrasa on the Registan, making Samarkand a centre of science.
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7
Ulugh Beg Observatory
The great observatory is built; the star catalogue of 1,018 stars is completed in 1437.
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8
Shaybanid rule
The Uzbek Shaybanids take the city and later shift the capital to Bukhara; Samarkand declines.
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9
Sher-Dor and Tilya-Kori
Yalangtush Bahodur builds the other two Registan madrasas.
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10
Russian conquest
The Russian Empire captures Samarkand, which becomes capital of the Samarkand Oblast; a railway arrives in 1888.
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11
Capital of Uzbek SSR
Samarkand serves as the first capital of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic before Tashkent takes over in 1930.
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12
UNESCO listing
Samarkand - Crossroad of Cultures is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Historical eras
The chapters of Samarkand's past.
Historical sites
Places where Samarkand's past comes alive.
Registan Square
Where: Central Samarkand
Admission: About 65,000-100,000 UZS (~$5.40-8.30) for foreign visitors
Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum
Where: Southwest of the Registan
Admission: About 40,000-75,000 UZS (~$3.30-6.25) for foreign visitors
Afrosiyab Ancient Settlement
Where: Northeast of the Registan
Admission: About 40,000-75,000 UZS (~$3.30-6.25) for foreign visitors
Ulugh Beg Observatory
Where: Chupan-Ata hill, east of the centre
Admission: About 35,000-75,000 UZS (~$2.90-6.25) for foreign visitors
Shah-i-Zinda Necropolis
Where: Afrosiyab district
Admission: About 50,000-80,000 UZS (~$4.20-6.70) for foreign visitors
Bibi-Khanym Mosque
Where: Central Samarkand
Admission: About 40,000-75,000 UZS (~$3.30-6.25) for foreign visitors
Ishratkhana Mausoleum
Where: Southeast Samarkand
Admission: Free or a small ticket depending on the day
Imam al-Bukhari Memorial Complex
Where: North of Samarkand (Hartang area)
Admission: Free or low-cost; donations welcome
Museums
Curated collections that tell Samarkand's story.
Historical tours
Guided experiences that bring history to life.