Age
0+
Group size
1-4
Transport
By car
Language
English
Duration
5 hours
About this experience
Three thousand years ago, when Rome did not even exist, the walls of the modern-day Samarkand were already built. Today it is one of the major political centers of Central Asia - but it reached its peak prosperity during the reign of Tamerlane. I will tell you how Samarkand was supposed to become the capital of the world and what relics keep the memory of its former greatness.
What to Expect
The goal of the tour is to introduce you to the main attractions of Samarkand that you simply cannot miss. But immersing in its past would be incomplete without stories about Tamerlane - under his rule, the city reached the pinnacle of its development and became one of the greatest in the world.
- Our journey will start at the Tamerlane's mausoleum. You will witness the amazing decor of the mausoleum: patterns made of hammered gold, papier-mache reliefs, the famous nephrite tombstone of Tamerlane, and his throne stone.
- Next, we will visit the Registan - the main square of the city, which between the 15th and 17th centuries formed a majestic complex of three madrasahs, making Samarkand one of the centers of science and culture.
- After conquering the Registan, we will head to Bibi-Khanym - once the largest mosque in the world, built by the order of the Iron Conqueror (Tamerlane). I will tell you why he dedicated it to his main wife, a Mongolian princess.
- Our next stop is the most mysterious cult center of Samarkand - Shah-i-Zinda necropolis. It emerged around the shrine dedicated to the Prophet Muhammad's cousin.
- We will conclude our tour at the very site where once stood one of the most whimsical structures of the city, where Tamerlane's grandson compiled his famous star catalogs. This is the Ulugh Beg's Observatory. We will be fortunate to see the sextant - the main instrument of the observatory, partially preserved to this day.
Organizational Details
- The tour is conducted in a Chevrolet Gentra or Hyundai Starex depending on the group size
- Entrance tickets are paid separately: the total cost will be approximately $16 per person
- Women are advised to bring scarves to cover their heads when visiting sacred places
- The cost of the tour changes if there are more than 4 people in the group, as the car changes
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