The word ‘Samarkand’ oozes history. As far back as 329BC, there is a record of Alexander the Great’s arrival in what was then ‘Marakanda’, the rich fortified centre of Sogdiana – part of the ancient Achaemenid Empire originating from Persia.
It was in the 9th century that Samarkand enjoyed a renaissance from centuries of plundering. Like Bukhara, it grew into a city of influence. That was until 1220 when Genghis Khan arrived and sucked the lifeblood out of the city by damming its canals and murdering its inhabitants.
Samarkand will forever be associated with Temur (Tamerlane). In 1336, Temur was born into a Turco-Mongol clan some 50 miles south of Samarkand at a place called Shakhrisabz. He grew up as a bandit and sheep rustler and when he was 27 he was injured by an arrow in his hip, a wound that would leave him lame for the rest of his life and give him his nickname of Temur-the-Lame (Tamerlane)
Within 40 years, after numerous successful military campaigns, he governed an Empire stretching from the Mediterranean to the frontiers of China. But it was in Samarkand that he built his capital, not so much as a home but as a trophy to celebrate his conquests.
After each campaign, the city would overflow with captured scholars and craftsmen who were put to work to create mosques and academies, bazaars and arsenals. At the heart of the city where six roads converged he built a domed bazaar, however his grandson and successor, Ulug Beg envisaged a more cultural role for this area. Between 1417 -1420, he proceeded to build an enormous madrassah on the west side of the square.
Today, it is still the focal point of the city – Registan Square. Ulug Beg’s Madrassah still stands although it has been rebuilt and restored many times after collapse, ruin and earthquake. The magnificent façade is reflected on the opposite side of the square by the Shir-Dor Madrassah built in the 17th century. It gets its name from the mosaic lions (shir) that adorn the corners of its portal. The ensemble is completed on the north side by the Tillya Kari Madrassah, completed almost 30 years later and is dominated by a huge turquoise dome. Visitors are able to see the magnificent gilded interior and the former student accommodation is now small gift shops.
Temur died in 1405 and there followed a period of conflict which saw his realm reduced considerably in size. Ulug Beg was not interested in empire and preferred to remain in Samarkand. He constructed an enormous observatory on a hill on the outskirts of the main city, much of which still remains today and is the main feature of a museum to commemorate the master astronomer’s work.
The aftermath of his death saw the rise of nomad Uzbeks which confirmed the end of Temurid power and with it went Samarkand’s prosperity. Temur’s great-great-great grandson, Babur, seized Samarkand for the third time in 1512 but he was soon ousted and chased off towards India where he would reap greater fortunes as the founder of the great Mughal Dynasty which lasted there until the British took over in the 18th century.
For the 200 years following Babur’s expulsion, it was the city of Bukhara that held prominence over Samarkand, although the whole region was suffering with the demise of trade along the Silk Road. Earthquake damage, looting and infighting left Samarkand a virtual ghost town as one by one the ancient caravan towns and khanates of the former Silk Road fell into Russian control.
In 1868, Samarkand was absorbed into the Russian Empire. For the Russians, this success had special significance. Nearly 500 years before, Temur led an unsuccessful yet bloody attack on Moscow, so the capture of his legendary city, including his tomb, was seen as the settling of an ancient score.
This also had a deep psychological effect on the people of Central Asia as a whole, adding to the growing Russian reputation for invincibility. During the Russian Revolution, the red banner flew over Registan Square and it was here, in 1925, that Samarkand was declared the capital of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. The Bolsheviks used the Square for political rallies, trials and veil burnings.
Today, Registan Square is the focal point of the city again and must be the number one destination for an overseas visitor.
My first impression of Samarkand is that this is a modern city. Certainly the outskirts of the city has numerous industrial and residential areas but I could see the turquoise domes and minarets in the distance which means we are heading in the right direction. The roads are much busier than Bukhara and the road surfaces are smooth!
Before we head for our hotel, Tatiana wants to take us to see Temur’s tomb – Gur Emir. She tells us that it is a rather modest monument for the world’s greatest warlord. If this is modest, I can’t wait to see the other sights!
Gur Emir is the final resting place of Temur. He commissioned this mausoleum to be built for his favourite grandson, Muhammed Sultan, who had died in 1403. He was never to see it completed because he died in 1405, just six months after the foundations had been laid. Temur had already planned for his body to be buried in a family mausoleum in Shahkrisabz next to the one built for his son Jahangir who died early as a child. He was, however, eventually interred here in Samarkand, his capital city.
In addition to the tombs of Temur and Muhammed Sultan, there are tombs of Temur’s sons, Shahrukh, his son and Temur’s grandson, Ulug Beg and Miranshah.
The exterior of the building is dominated by a huge portal intricately decorated with blue and white mosaic tiles but the hallmark is the bulbous turquoise ribbed dome. This is a restored version following extensive earthquake damage. The Mausoleum is now on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
I stand transfixed at the intricate tile work of the entrance portal. For a start, it is vast but the detailed tile work is quite breath-taking. As I walk through the portal, the turquoise dome is glistening in the sun. Tatiana tells us that there are 64 ribs covered in coloured glazed tiles. It is not until I take a zoomed-in photograph that I can see the individual tiles that make up the repeated pattern. Andrew has been standing next to me taking his own pictures and we both shake our heads in wonderment and mutter, “Incredible!”
Gur Emir Mausoleum, Samarkand
We wander inside and again just stand and stare at the spectacular walls that are, we are told, covered with panels of onyx tiles topped by inscriptions from the Koran carved in marble and painted on jasper.
Enclosed behind a marble rail, I see seven marble tombstones that encircle a dark green slab of jade. Apparently, Ulug Beg brought it back from Mongolia in 1425 to cover his grandfather’s grave. Tatiana tells us that these tombstones are actually cenotaphs matching the layout of the real graves in the vaulted crypt below, which is closed to visitors.
I find this place quite moving and begin to appreciate the lives of these people and what they achieved all those years ago. This small area is the culmination of the lives of people who have conquered and ruled over the vast majority of Asia, stretching from Europe to the frontiers of China. They may have been blood-thirsty warlords in their time but are now being regarded as founding fathers of present day Uzbekistan and Central Asia.
It’s been a long day and as I make my weary way back to the bus, I catch up with Paul and Jean who say they were completely blown away with that place and goodness alone knows what it will be like tomorrow when we go to see Registan Square.
***
Tomorrow arrives. It is very warm but noticeably more humid. For me, going to see Registan Square is one of the highlights of this trip. I have read so much about it and seen pictures but to see it in the flesh will be the icing on the cake.
It does not disappoint! As I stand on the viewing platform, I have another Taj Mahal jaw-dropping moment – WOW! I just stand and stare at what is in front of me. I stupidly say, “It’s just like it is in the picture.” Well, it is! Quite stupendous!
Registan Square, Samarkand
There are three main madrassahs which, like the Taj Mahal, are enormous when you get up close. On the left, is the Ulug Beg Madrassah, on the right, is the Shir-Dor Madrassah and straight ahead is the Tillya Kari Madrassah
Back in Temur’s time, the ‘Registan’ (or Sandy Place) consisted of a huge domed shopping arcade which housed the city’s bazaar. In 1420, it was pulled down and the Ulug Beg Madrassah was built in its place. It housed around 100 students under the tutelage of the finest scholars of the age in Islamic and secular studies. Ulug Beg himself is claimed to have taught here on subjects such as astronomy, his greatest passion, and mathematics.
The façade reflects this passion and is adorned with star designs, geometric patterns and stunning majolica and mosaic tile work. This is flanked by two columns which were severely damaged in the 1976 earthquake and have been restored and strengthened but to the naked eye still look a bit lop-sided.
As I go through this giant portal, I feel like an ant but on the other side is a magnificent quadrangle surrounded by two storeys of student cells. Each of the ground floor cells now houses small craft businesses selling traditional craft artifacts, like silk scarves and pashminas, to modern day souvenirs and drinks. I stand and gaze up at the elaborate carved marble panels and ornamental mosaics.
I am very wary about entering one of these craft shops because the proprietors have obviously had some sales and language training and they are very persistent. They try out a number of languages before they realise that I am English. I have to duck to get through the door and inside I am surprised at the wide range of artifacts on sale, at what look like very reasonable prices. I tactfully resist making a purchase and duck again to make my way back out into the sunshine.
I find a shady spot to sit down for a few moments to contemplate what would have happened here hundreds of years ago. At each corner of the quadrangle is a small domed roof under which lie big lecture halls and on the western corner there is a mosque, so students would have lived a monk-like life, studying and praying, but what a magnificent ‘university’ to study in.
Inside Ulug Beg Madrassah, Samarkand
On the opposite side of the Square is the Shir-Dor Madrassah which was built some 200 years later than Ulug Beg’s and in layout, it is almost a mirror image with its enormous portal leading into a two storey surrounded quadrangle housing student accommodation. During its existence, the madrassah has been restored many times. A major restoration took place at the start of the 20th century and in 2001, the madrassah was entered on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Standing under the giant portal, Mark points out a swastika symbol in the centre of the archway. We ask Tatiana what this means and she says that it is the ancient symbol that represents abundance and fertility. Well, well, you learn something new every day!
The third madrassah to make up the ensemble is the Tillya Kari Madrassah. Completed in 1660, it was built on the site of Temur’s former caravanserai. Tillya Kari means ‘decorated with gold’ which is evidenced on the huge portal. The façade facing the Square is symmetrical and consists of two storeys of arched niches flanking the portal. As with its neighbours, the former student accommodation now functions as gift shops. It is also on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In the western part of the madrassah there is a mosque, crowned with a magnificent turquoise glazed dome. For many years, this was the main mosque in Samarkand.
As we wander around this third magnificent edifice, Tatiana tells us that the whole of Registan Square is lit up at night and the dome of the mosque is also floodlit. She says it is well worth seeing and suggests we may consider getting a taxi down here later in the evening.
For me that is a must-see experience but I would plan to walk down here from the hotel in order to experience some more of night-time Samarkand. It doesn’t look far on the map.
Before we head off for lunch, Tatiana says she has another surprise for us and that is the Bibi-khanum Mosque which is just up the road.
This is the grandest structure of Temur’s time, built in honour of his favourite wife, Saray Mulk Khanum, who was laid to rest in the nearby Mausoleum. Construction started in 1399 and was financed by the spoils of Temur’s victorious campaign to Delhi and was built with the labour of 95 imported Indian elephants.
The mosque consists of four buildings; the major mosque, two minor mosques and the entrance arch. The original layout of these four buildings on the compass points in a large courtyard has been recently restored following centuries of neglect and damage. In the centre of the courtyard is a large lectern made from Mongolian marble donated by Ulug Beg. It once held the 7th century Osman Koran, a treasure brought here by Temur, but which was taken to the Winter Palace in St Petersburg by the Russians in 1875 and subsequently returned by the Bolsheviks to its present day resting place in Tashkent.
Much of what we see today is a reconstruction as over the years, the Mosque fell into disuse and crumbled to ruins.
Walking through another stunning entrance portal, we are greeted with a wide open courtyard with well-manicured green lawns and in the centre of which, under the shade of the trees, is the huge marble lectern propped up on nine short columns. Tatiana reminds us of what she told us about the Osman Koran when we were in Tashkent and adds that legend has it barren women who crawl between these columns three times will be promised children later in life. It is obviously not encouraged as the lectern is cordoned off – probably for health and safety reasons! Still, it is an enormous slab of marble.
Marble lectern at Bibi Khanum Mosque, Samarkand
I remember seeing the ancient Koran when we were in Tashkent a few days ago and think about the extraordinary journey it has had to reach its current resting place. I’ve been to the Winter Palace in St Petersburg and I try to envisage where in that magnificent building this ancient manuscript could have been kept.
Lunch is beckoning at a small restaurant within walking distance of the mosque. To get there we have to walk through Samarkand’s main bazaar. It is housed under a huge roof and it is lovely and cool to walk through. Counters are piled high with fruit, dried fruit, eggs and vegetables. As with the other bazaars we have been to the atmosphere is buzzing and as I walk past I am offered all sorts of produce. Reluctantly, I have to decline on this occasion but manage to get some photos of the colourful produce on sale.
Our restaurant is a small version of one of the big madrassahs and we are given a demonstration on how to make ‘plov’- a traditional Uzbek dish.
Apparently there are many different ways of making plov, differing in rice and extras such as raisins or quince. It looks and smells delicious and judging by the amounts of spices added, I expect it is very hot too. Given my delicate stomach, I only take a very small portion and have another flat Coke to go with it. Hot it is, but it is also delicious. I need some iced water to soothe my throat which is on fire.
The flat Coke remedy for my upset stomach appears to be working. I feel a lot better than I did a couple of days ago. T’other Peter is sitting with me and he agrees. He’s been feeling a bit rough too. Tom is his usual boisterous self, so he must be thriving on his vodka!
For our afternoon delight, we are visiting another very important historical feature. We are told it is the holiest site in the City. There are so many here in Samarkand that they hit us thick and fast. I love it – bring it on!
The Shah-i-Zindah Ensemble is a necropolis of mausoleums lying on the edge of Temur’s old capital. It consists of a street of sparkling blue coloured tombs and is a veritable ‘Who’s Who’ of Temurid aristocracy, including many members of Temur’s direct family. There are 11 mausoleums built one after the other in the 14th and 15th centuries.
In 1435, Ulug Beg designed and built a grand entrance as a finishing touch to the Ensemble. Worshippers were frequent visitors to the necropolis until the Russians converted it into an anti-religious museum. Since Independence, sanctity has been restored and pilgrims are returning to pay homage. The focus for the pilgrims is at the stairway’s end. Here is the grave of the legendary Qusam ibn Abbas, cousin of Muhammed, beheaded in the 7th century after attempts to covert locals to Islam.
Entering through Ulug Beg’s portal the first thing that you see is the narrowness of the street as it winds its way up the side of the hill and on each side, almost touching, are the huge portals to the individual mausoleums. It is quite intimidating and claustrophobic walking up the street. It feels as if the walls are closing in on you. It makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Apparently, no two mausoleums are the same. They are certainly all different in their own ways. Some are open to visitors, others are not.
Whilst they are modest in size compared to the others I have seen, they each have stunning decorative qualities and is evidence of the obvious wealth of creative talent there was back in those days. In places the high facades are only 12 feet apart. Their colours are turquoise and kingfisher blue.
At the top is a mini-Registan, where the street end is masked by three huge portals. It’s as if a giant hand is saying “Go no further than this”.
Shah-i-Zindah Ensemble, Samarkand
There is actually a small alleyway in the left hand corner and this leads out into a huge cemetery with a stunning view down over the city of Samarkand. What a fabulous place to be laid to rest. A peaceful setting and today a gentle breeze is blowing which is something we have not experienced at all since we have been here. Maybe that is significant because of where we are? It makes you wonder!
It has been an exhausting day. But what a fantastic day it has been. I feel so lucky to have been able to see these wonderful places and tonight I am determined not to miss out on seeing Registan Square all lit up.
After a welcome shower and 40 winks, I gather up my camera bag and map and meet up with Mark and Sue in the bar. We have a swift beer and then set out down the road. The first landmark we are looking for is the statue of Temur sitting on his throne in the middle of a huge roundabout, looking straight down towards the Registan. Following his gaze we cross all the necessary arterial roads until we reach the right one. On our right, with a floodlit dome, is the Gur-Emir. It looks very peaceful and serene.
That peace is shattered as we approach our destination. There is what looks like a wedding reception taking place at an open air restaurant with a live artist performing. Ten minutes later, we reach our goal and it’s another WOW! moment. What an incredible sight. I’m running out of superlatives to describe the places we have been to over the last few days, but this is something else. Mark and Sue are blown away too.
Each madrassah façade is floodlit from the ground and gives a very eerie appearance. Someone walks in front of one of the floodlights and their huge spooky shadow is cast across the wall. At the front of the viewing area is an empty bench so we sit down to take the view in. Then Sue points out the blue dome against the black of night. The dome of the Tillya Kari Mosque in the left hand corner of the Square is lit up like a beacon dominating the whole area.
Registan Square, Samarkand at night
Well, I’m glad I skipped dinner as the next morning at breakfast, Mark is already recounting to Andrew and Diane about our adventure and they wish they had joined us because dinner was a bit disappointing. They say they may get a taxi down there tonight.
Today is another day and we have another adventure, this time in a fleet of cars instead of our trusty old bus. We are heading south up through the Zerafshan Mountains to Shakhrisabz, the birthplace of our friend Temur.