Perhaps someone discovered it not only at school but also with Roberto Vecchioni and his famous and moving song ‘Samarkand’. Remember? Run horse, run please to Samarkand I will guide you. In reality, this place has a history of no less than 2700 years behind it and its extraordinary beauty led to it being declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001. Samarkand is more beautiful than you can imagine. It is incomparable, the city of a thousand and one nights with architectural gems of great beauty.
It is a city in the Republic of Uzbekistan, a Central Asian state, and is best known for its location in the middle of the Silk Road, a route of some 8,000 kilometres. In antiquity, it was a trade route between the Chinese and Roman empires. You will realise that everything in Samarkand revolves around the astonishingly beautiful Registan Square. It is the most prominent urban element in the city as well as being its heart. This is where, in the past, royal proclamations were announced through huge horns (dzharchis) as well as executions. So it is a place teeming with life and history in every square inch. Rectangular in shape and very long, it is surrounded by three beautiful madrasas (Islamic schools): Ulugh Beg, Sher-Dor and Tilya-Kori.
Registan Square
The Ulugh Beg madrasa, to the west of the square, is named after the ruler of the Timurid empire and is Azerbaijani in style. In this school, subjects such as philosophy, theology and astronomy were taught. Inside, several mosaics recall astronomy. The ceiling is a deep blue dome, and the structure and minarets are covered with tiles and mosaics laid in such a way as to form attractive geometric patterns. Inside are the students’ rooms and the lecture hall (Darskhna).
Registan Square
Opposite the Ulugh Beg madrasa, to the east of the square, is the Sher-Dor, meaning lions’ gate. It is a complex, like the other two madrasas, of remarkable architectural beauty. The name ‘Sher-Dor’ or Cher Dor, derives from the mosaics and gable decorations depicting lions and tigers. Anomalous such representation given that, according to Islamic tradition, the depiction of living beings is forbidden.
The last of the three madrasas, the Tilya-Kori (meaning golden roof) sports a mosque decorated in gold and is located between the other two. Besides the mosque, it consists of two galleries housing the city museum. It is really very beautiful with breathtaking decorations depicting two tigers.
Medrese Tilya-Kori- Mosque
A must-see in the city is the Bibi Khanum Mosque, one of the most important monuments in Samarkand long considered to be among the largest and most beautiful mosques in the Islamic world. Commissioned by the ruler Amir Tamur (Tamerlane) in honour of his beloved wife after whom it was named, it was built with precious stones. Apparently it took 90 elephants to transport all the stones needed for the construction, which was completed between 1399 and 1404. But due to a terrible earthquake it partially collapsed. Much work has recently been done to restore parts of it, such as the main entrance and several domes. Inside there is a large courtyard with a pedestal on which a huge Koran rests. Opposite is the mausoleum and a typical market to get an idea of the typical products and daily life of the Uzbek people.
Many legends are linked to this mosque and we will mention some of the most significant ones.
It is said that this great mosque was built in honour of Tamerlane’s wife. The architect in charge of the construction fell madly in love with the beautiful Bibi to such an extent that he asked for a kiss to complete the work. The kiss was granted but it cost them both their lives because Tamerlane ordered their deaths and decreed that the women of his empire should wear the veil.
A view of the Bibi Khanum mosque
Another legend has it that from the mosque, even today, one can hear the sobs of Tamerlane’s beloved wife but forced, as a result of the betrayal, to wear the veil forever.
Another place not to be missed is the Mausoleum of Gur-e Amir, a cemetery symbol of the Timurid dynasty, where the remains of Tamerlane and other Timurid rulers rest. Tamerlane wished to be buried in his birthplace, Shakhrisabz, but Ulugh Ben disregarded his wishes and had the body buried in the mausoleum.
A detail of the Mausoleum of Gur-e Amir
Another place of great interest is the necropolis of Shakh-i Zinda (the living king). The burial monuments seem to have no equal in the whole of Central Asia. The architecture of this place is astonishing. Inside, the oldest burial is that of Kusama ibn Abbas, the cousin of the prophet Muhammad who arrived in Samarkand to spread the religion but where he met his death at the hands of pagans during a moment of prayer. According to legend, however, it seems that Kusam Ibn Abbas left this world alive and today continues to live in the crypt under the mosque where he used to pray. And it is for this reason that the people began to call him ‘the living king’. The tomb is a place of pilgrimage and is highly venerated by Muslims.
The Shohizinda Necropolis meaning ‘The Living King’ is located in the north-eastern part of Samarkand.
Not to be missed is the Observatory of Ulugh Ben, a ruler and astronomer who in 1420 created an astrolabe that is still considered by scholars to be one of the best observatories in medieval Islam. It is a true work of engineering, created to calculate the position of the stars with minute precision.
Ulugh Ben Observatory
Take a trip to the Tomb of Daniel. This is a building surmounted by five domes with the long tombstone (18 metres) inside containing the remains of the prophet Daniel. Legend has it that the length of the tomb is due to the fact that the bones of the Old Testament prophet grew about half an inch every year and therefore the tomb had to be adapted. The most reliable explanations instead speak of a choice made in order to make it difficult for the prophet’s body to be stolen. But the fact remains that people come here asking to be cured of headaches, insomnia and nightmares.
Tomb of Daniel
We also recommend a visit to the Siyob Bazaar in Samarkand, a huge bazaar near the Bibi-Khanym Mosque. This is a public market typical of Islamic culture where you can witness the sale of all kinds of products. From fruit (which we recommend you buy for the goodness) to naan, the typical bread, to fabrics for furniture to clothing. It is here that you understand the life of the inhabitants and it is nice to interact with them.
It is basically an open-air shopping centre frequented mainly by locals but also by many tourists in search of the real Samarkand.
We cannot fail to tell you about the local cuisine, which offers special and very tasty dishes such as the very tasty traditional dish, plov, rice with mutton, sultanas and vegetables in cotton oil usually accompanied by naan. Try shashlik, skewers of barbecued meat. In Samarkand, the typical version of plov is with quince, a real treat for the palate.
On the other hand, we don’t have good news when it comes to nightlife. There are not many clubs in Samarkand. It is generally the hotel establishments that organise evenings to entertain tourists.
We recommend, before you leave, a book published by Feltrinelli: Verso Samarcanda – la lunga marcia II – by Bernard Ollivier. A book that will give you an insight into the culture and beauty of the place.
WHERE TO STAY: there are many solutions available, from luxurious hotels to modest but cosy hotels and very cheap solutions such as bed and breakfasts. We recommend: Orient Star Samarkand – address: Dagbitskaya Street 33, Samarkand 140120, Uzbekistan Telephone: 00998 66 232 29 06
WHERE TO EAT: Registon Restourant (5, Registan Street). Located near the beautiful Registon Square, the restaurant is small, cosy and well furnished. Many typical local decorations. Carpets and cushions for seating on the floor frame the cooked grain soups and delicious desserts starting with pancakes served with apple slices and caramel syrup.
All that remains is to wish you a wonderful trip to the land that was trodden by Marco Polo, who described the city as follows: ‘Samarcan is a noble city, and there are Christians and Saracens’ (Marco Polo, The Million)
