The historical monuments of samarkand

THE HISTORICAL MONUMENTS OF SAMARKAND

"Precious pearl of the Islamic world", "Edem of the East", "Face of the Earth" were the names given to Samarkand by the poets and historians of the past.
Samarkand has been on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. It flourished as an ancient city, and it is still important in modern Uzbekistan. Samarkand was founded in the 7th century and prospered under the Timurid dynasty. Samarkand was at the forefront of Islamic architecture, and its significance is witnessed in the old town. There are numerous mosques, madrassas and residential houses, lined on narrow streets and built in medieval Islamic fashion. The western part of the city is more modern, with architecture reflecting 19^th and 20^th European design and style, influenced through Russian colonisation. The city has often referred as a crossroad of cultures. Samarkand was also an important trade stop along the Silk Road.
Samarkand has a 2500 years-old history. Convenient geographical location of Samarkand in Zarafshan river basin made this city the important crossroads on the Great Silk Road.
Samarkand - one of the ancient cities of the world, along with Rome, Athens and Babylon, is the most popular tourist centre both of Uzbekistan and the whole Central Asia as well. Founded in the midst of 1st century DC, it was named first Marchanda and later Afrosiab. Its most prosperous time was under the rule of Amir Temur. Born in Shakhrisabs, the Sahibkiran made Samarkand the capital of his great empire stretching from the Ind River up to the Bosfore.
For many centuries the Registan Square was and still remains the centre of Samarkand. As the history says, many centuries ago, small river crossed the square where the first medrassah was constructed. Years have passed, the river dried up leaving only sands in the river-bad. In the 15th century the first medrassah was founded just on that place giving name to the square Registan (means "The Sandy Spot"). Beginning from that time, all celebrations, festivals and Sunday's bazaars took place just at that place.
Shakhi-Zinda Mausoleum located on the hillside of the Abrosiab settlement is a monument of pride of all Central Asian architecture. The main construction took place during the 14th and 15th centuries under the rule of Amir Temur. The female burial places of Temur's family predominate the ensemble.
The Gur-Emir Mausoleum was constructed by order of Amir Temur, because of the premature death of Sahibkiran's dearly loved grandson, Mukhammad Sultan, are preserved in the sacred memory of the Temurids under the turquoise domes of Ghur-Emir. (Ghur-Emir means "The Tomb of the Emir").