Samarkand - the pearl of the Tamerlane empire

One of the oldest cities on the planet, he experienced a lot in his thousand-year history. For a long time there was no ancient state of Sogdian, countless caravans of camels no longer walk along the Great Silk Road, and only the memories of the great empire of Tamerlane remained. But Samarkand, the capital of the ancient kingdoms, still stands, striking with its splendor all the travelers who happened to get into this region of Central Asia.

According to archaeological data, Samarkand was founded in the VIII century BC. Located in the interfluve of the upper Amu Darya and Syr Darya, the city occupied an advantageous geographical position on the route between Asia, the Middle East and Europe. Being the capital of the ancient state of Sogdiana, Samarkand was repeatedly subjected to conquests and was part of the empire of Achaemenids, Bactria, Khorezm and other state formations of the region.

Being at the center of the intersection of important trade routes, the city has always flourished, and the fame of its wealth spread far beyond the region. And even after the complete destruction of Genghis Khan's troops at the beginning of the 13th century, Samarkand was quickly rebuilt.

The heyday of Samarkand falls on the XIV-XVII centuries, when the city was the center of the empire of Tamerlane and its descendants. It was during this period that Samarkand became not only the political and economic, but also the cultural center of the region. Most of the architectural masterpieces of the city belong to the Middle Ages, thanks to which it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Tamerlane, the great commander who conquered half of Eurasia, sought to glorify the capital of his state throughout the world. Majestic buildings and mosques were built in the city, which were unparalleled throughout Central Asia. The best architects and artisans of the time worked on the new look of Samarkand, and with the grandson of Tamerlane - Mirzo Ulugbek - Samarkand became the largest scientific center in the East. The city still has the Ulugbek Observatory, which is one of the tourist attractions.

The central square of the city of Registan is of the greatest architectural value. Here are the famous madrasahs (educational institutions), built in the style of Persian architecture.

Modern Samarkand is a large city on the territory of Uzbekistan, which is a regional center. Despite the fact that today Samarkand is deprived of its capital status, it is still an important economic center not only of the country, but of the entire region. The city is visited annually by thousands of tourists both from Asia and from abroad. There is something to see even for the experienced traveler, and visiting magnificent architectural monuments and walking along the streets of one of the oldest cities in the world leave an unforgettable experience.

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