Founded in the seventh century BC as the ancient settlement of Afrasiab, Samarkand had its most significant development during the Timurid period, from the fourteenth to the fifteenth century. Tamerlane — Amir Timur — made it the capital of an empire that stretched from Anatolia to Delhi, and the monuments he and his successors commissioned remain the most concentrated display of medieval Islamic architecture anywhere in Central Asia. In 2001, the historic city of Samarkand — designated "Samarkand: Crossroad of Cultures" — was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Registan is the place to start. The square is defined by three madrasahs: the Ulugh Beg Madrasa (1417–1420), the Sherdar Madrasa (1619–1636), and the Tilakari Madrasa (1646–1660). Each faces onto a central square of considerable scale, and each carries a distinct program of decoration. The Ulugh Beg Madrasa — the oldest, built by Timur's grandson and the astronomer-ruler of Samarkand — has a portal adorned with ten-pointed stars and astronomical motifs; Ulugh Beg himself taught mathematics here to a student body of approximately one hundred. The Sherdar Madrasa is named for the tiger (sher) mosaics on its portal, an unusual depiction of living creatures in Islamic architectural decoration. The Tilakari Madrasa, the last to be built, served simultaneously as a college and the city's main Friday mosque; its interior ceiling, painted and gilded, is among the most lavish interiors in the region. All three madrasahs are open as museums and souvenir galleries today, not active schools. The Registan is open between 9am and 6pm; in the evenings during tourist season it is illuminated by a sound-and-light show that begins around 9pm. Arrive in the early morning for the best light and the thinnest crowds; the square at dawn — before tour groups arrive — is an entirely different experience from midday.
Two kilometers northwest of the Registan, Shah-i-Zinda is a necropolis strung along a narrow lane lined with mausoleums. Most of the mausoleums date to the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, though some tombstones are believed to be as old as the eleventh century. Among those buried here are members of Timurid royalty and nobility; the most prominent tomb is that of Qusam ibn-Abbas, reputed to be a cousin of the Prophet Mohammed. The tilework at Shah-i-Zinda is arguably finer and more varied than at the Registan — the buildings are smaller, and the craftsmen's work is closer. Go in the morning during peak season; the lane is narrow enough that heavy afternoon traffic makes it difficult to see properly.
The Gur-i-Emir mausoleum, a short walk from the Registan, is where Timur is buried — though the crypt was originally built for his grandson Muhammad Sultan, who predeceased him. The building's azure ribbed dome and octagonal base established a formal language that traveled east with the Timurid diaspora: its proportions are a direct precedent for the Mughal architecture of the Indian subcontinent, including the Taj Mahal. The interior walls are inlaid with carved jade and gilded muqarnas.
Outside the historic center, the Ulugh Beg Observatory (1420s) occupies a low hill north of the old city. The observatory's most significant feature — a giant sextant carved into the hillside, used to produce the astronomical tables that remained among the most accurate in the world for over a century — was excavated and preserved in the early twentieth century. A small museum on site contains copies of Ulugh Beg's star charts and some original instruments.
The Bibi-Khanym Mosque, built by Timur between 1399 and 1404 to celebrate his campaign in India, was for its era one of the largest mosques ever constructed. The original structure suffered earthquake damage and fell into disrepair; what stands today is a heavily restored twentieth-century reconstruction. It remains a powerful architectural presence — the main portal arch is colossal — but visitors should know they are looking at restoration rather than original fabric.
Getting there: The Afrosiyob high-speed train from Tashkent covers the distance in approximately two hours and is the most comfortable option. The Samarkand International Airport also serves a growing number of direct international routes.
Best time to visit: April–May and September–October. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 40°C; the monuments are fully exposed.