7-Day Samarkand Heritage Tour with Timurid Monuments and Afrasiyob

This tomb was built by Timur himself in 1404 for his grandson. However, Tamerlane died suddenly in 1405 and was buried in Gur-Emir himself, although he had planned to find his last refuge in his native city of Kesh, modern Shakhrisabz. In addition to Timur, his sons Shahrukh and Miran Shah, his grandsons Ulugbek and Muhammad Sultan, Timur's teacher Mir Said Baraka, and several other representatives of the Timurid dynasty are buried in the tomb.

On the square stand three madrasahs of the 15th-17th centuries, combined into one architectural ensemble. In the center is the Ulugbek Madrasah, built in 1420, and on the sides are the Sherdor Madrasah, built in 1636, and the Tillya-Kari Madrasah, built in 1660. Madrasahs were spiritual and educational institutions for those wishing to study Islam. Each madrasah had cells for living, a mosque, and a courtyard. The madrasahs have come down to us in good condition, and this architectural complex is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The Bibi-Khanum Mosque, located next to the Siab Bazaar, was built in honour of the beloved wife of Amir Timur in 1404. It is said that the ruler personally controlled the progress of its construction. In the courtyard of the mosque, there is a large stone stand for the holy book of Muslims, the Koran. According to legend, a barren woman can become pregnant if she crawls under the stand.

Hazrat Khizr Mosque is one of the oldest Muslim religious buildings in Samarkand. The mosque was built in the 8th century and stood on the hill at the entrance to the city, close to where the Shahi Zinda mausoleums and Siab Market appeared much later. A cemetery later emerged around the mosque. According to legend, there are seven levels of graves, and at each level lie the bodies of saints or prophets.

This is a narrow, long street along which the mausoleums of famous residents of Samarkand from the 11th-15th centuries are located. To climb to the necropolis, you need to go up the stairs. It is said that those who count the same number of steps going up and down are happy people. They can make any wish, and it will come true.

Ulugbek's Observatory is the remains of an observatory dating from 1420. It was discovered in 1908 during archaeological excavations. Archaeologists concluded that the observatory had a cylindrical shape and three floors. During the excavations, a unique measuring tool was discovered - a sextant that made it possible to determine the height of the sun and stars. Ulugbek himself, the grandson of Amir Timur, led the observatory. Today, the foundation and boundaries of the observatory rooms have been recreated.

The Afrosiab settlement, located on the territory of modern Samarkand, was first mentioned in written sources in the 8th century BC. During archaeological excavations carried out at the end of the 19th century, scientists discovered many artifacts dating from the 8th century BC.