Samarkand -is the second biggest
city after Tashkent in a population , territory,
and industrial value , It is also the center of
the world tourism.
In 1924 - 30 Samarkand was the capital of Uzbekistan.
Samarkand -is one of the most ancient cities of
the world, in historical and architectural importance
it doesn't concede the world famous centers of civilization.
The city was conquered by armies of Alexander the
Great, Arabian Khalifat and Chingizkhan. It was
the capital of the powerful state Sogd, the center
of the empire of Amir Temur who took good care of
his capital. The combination of its monuments and
a surprising variety of its cultural traditions
makes unforgettable impression on visitors.
The
necropolis Shakhi Zinda is located on the southeastern
slope of Afrosiab. It consists of eleven mausoleums,
consistently built during XIV - XV centuries. The
entrance portal of Shakhi Zinda is the latest construction
in the ensemble. Having climbed on thirty six steps
of an ancient ladder, visitors find themselves in
the open gallery. Here mausoleums of close relatives
of Timur are located.
The
construction of Bibi Khanum started in 1399, after
Timur's victorious campaign to India and was completed
in 1404. By Timur's plan the mosque had to be the
most beautiful mosque in the whole Muslim world.
Many architects, artists, masters and craftsmen
from different countries of the East were involved
in the construction .The buildings occupied a rectangular
court yard in the size of 130x102 meter. In the
western side of it towered the main mosque , in
the northern and southern there were small mosques.
The extensive courtyard had been covered by marble
and enclosed with covered gallery for visitors.
The entrance to the court yard has been made as
a high portal with two round minarets( 50 meters
height). The facade of the mosque had been also
decorated. Walls of all rooms outside were richly
decorated and formed a geometrical ornament and
religious sayings.
In 1404 Timur ordered to build the mausoleum Gur
Emir (the tomb of Emir)for his favourite grandson
Muhamad Sultan.The greatness and ease of architectural
lines and forms, multi-coloured mosaic - all this
makes the mausoleum the unique monument of the Central
Asian architecture. The mausoleum Gur Emir is the
burial place not only of Timur, but also of his
two sons - Shakhruh and Miranshah , his grandsons
Mohammed Sultan and great astronomer Ulugbek, and
also his spiritual teacher the Muslim sheikh from
Medina - Mir Seyd Bereke, and Shah-Khodja.
Durring
Timurs reign the Registan was the center of the
city.All important events were held in that place.Such
as;orders of the khan, public executions, the celebration
of the beginning and successful end of wars.the
Emperor marched through that place , coming back
from the seized countries with treasures, slaves
and the heads of enemies on spears.
The Registan consists of three madrassahs.
The
first and the most important is Ulughbek madrassah,
constructed in 1417-1420. On its two floors there
are 50 rooms and 100 students lived there. Under
small angular domes there were lecture halls, and
nearby there was a big mosque. A well-known Tadjik
poet Djami was one of the graduates of the madrassah.
According some facts , Ulughbek himself taught here
mathematics. After 200 years Samarkand governor
Jalangtush decided to construct 2 more madrassahs
, even more magnificent and rich for ornament.
Sher
Dor madrassah (Мadrassah with lions) it was constructed
in 1619-1636. In spite of the fact that it was a
religious building, it was rather unusual , with
the image of tigers and sun with a human face on
a huge portal. Folklore holidays are held here now.
Tilla
Kori madrassah (Decorated by gold) it was
constructed in 1647-1660. Except for the educational
purposes it also served as the main mosque. Magnificent
internal furnish by gold makes unforgettable impression.
The
great astronomer of Middle Ages, Ulughbek is famous
for his wonderful observatory which he had ordered
to construct in Samarqand. It was the huge cylindrical
design in height of 30 meters and 46 meters in diameter.
A huge sextant and amazingly accurate arrangement
on a meridian had provided unprecedented accuracy
of the sizes, no analogs existed until Galeley invented
a telescope. Ulughbek and his colleagues had invented
the Star Catalogue which contains 1018 stars and
constellations.
