Samarkand

On the fast train this time I was off to Samarkand, the last of the big silk road cities in Uzbekistan. Samarkand had a rich history with evidence of inhabitation since the paleolithic period, and like the other silk road cities has had many ups and downs, being conquered over the centuries by Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan, amongst others. In the 14th century it was conquered by Timur and became the capital of the Timur Empire. However unlike other conquerors Timur had an appreciation for the arts and spared the lives of artists, craftsmen and architects so that they could improve and beautify his capital. This resulted in some of the most impressive buildings along the Silk road being in Samarkand, such as the majestic Registan Square at the heart of the old town, a complex of Madrasas that were at the centre of the Timurid Renaissance that lasted from the 14th into the 16th centuries.

There was also the impressive Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Timur's mausoleum, and Shakhi-Zindar, a series of tombs for royal and religious leaders dating from the 11th to 15th centuries. Samarkand certainly had the most beautiful sites along the Silk road, although a lot of restoration has gone into them. I'm not sure if it was allowed but one of the security guards let us go up one of the minarets, which probably wasn't a good idea as the steps are very steep and there isn't much heath and safety! The view at the top during sunset was worth it though!Read more