Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Samarkand, or Samarqand in Uzbek,  is in southeastern Uzbekistan.  It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in Central Asia.  It's 240 km (149 miles) from Bukhara and 344 km (214 miles) from Tashkent.  It's only about 35 km (22 miles) to the Tajik border.

It is believed that the city was founded between the 8th and 7th centuries with evidence of human activity from the late Palaeolithic Era.  With about 520.000 residents, and 950.000 in the greater metro area, Samarkand is one of the biggest cities in the country.

Samarkand was conquered by Alexander the Great in 329 BC.  It was then ruled by numerous Iranian and Turkic rulers until Genghis Khan and the Mongols conquered it in 1220.  In 1868 the city was annexed by the Russian Empire.  From 1925 to 1930 it was the capital of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic before the capital was moved to Tashkent.

Due to its position on the Silk Route the city has been a crossroads of cultures and in 2001 Samarkand was listed as a World Heritage Site.

Registan was the heart of the old city.  The architecture of the public square and its three madrasahs is simply stunning.  Especially at night.  

The Amir Temur Mausoleum was completed in 1404.  Inscribed in the tomb is a warning that reads "Whosoever disturbs my tomb will unleash an invader more terrible than I."  The tomb was opened in 1941, two days before Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union.  The story goes that Stalin believed the curse and ordered that Amir Temur be reburied.

The Ulugh Beg Observatory was built in the 1420s.  It was destroyed in 1449 and rediscovered in 1908.  It's said to have been one of the finest observatories in the Islamic world.  It became a museum in 1970.  

Islom Karimov was President of the Uzbek SSR in 1990 until he declared independence in 1991.  He then became the first President and remained so until his death in 2016.  Another former Soviet leader that remained in power for more than 25 years.

I believe that the Memorial Complex of the First President of the Republic of Uzbekistan opened in 2018.

The Shah-i-Zinda is a complex of mausoleums and other ritual buildings.  There are more than twenty buildings dating from the 11th to 19th centuries.  

Legend has it that a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad is buried here.  The complex is enormous and you could spend half a day here checking everything out and taking photos.

The Bibi-Khanym Mosque was completed in 1404.  During the 15th century it was one of the world's largest mosques.

Across from the mosque is the Bibi-Khanym mausoleum.  The 14th century mausoleum is home to five tombs.

The Gumbaz Synagogue was built in 1891.  This is a working temple for the city's approximate 50 Jews.

During the day I came across Orthodox, Muslim, and Jewish cemeteries.

The Slyob Bazaar is the city's largest bazaar.  Quite popular with both locals and tourists.

Sadreddin Ayni was the father of modern Uzbek and Tajik literature.  His homes turned in to a museum in 1967.  I'd never heard of him before the museum was interesting.

Afrasiab Museum of Samarkand is one of the largest archaeological sites in the world.

The Mausoleum of Saint Daniel, the prophet from the Old Testament, is visited by Jews, Christians, and Muslims.  

He rests in an 18 metre (59 foot) sarcophagus.  Legend has it that it is because his remains continue to grow.  The more likely version is that this made it harder for grave robbers to disturb his remains.

Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Tashkent, or Toshkent in Uzbek, is the capital of Uzbekistan.  With almost 2,5 million people it is the largest city in Central Asia.  Tashkent is in the northeastern part of the country and close to the border of Kazakhstan.

Tashkent was settled in the 5th-3rd centuries BC.   Islam became prominent in the mid-8th century AD.  Genghis Khan destroyed the city in 1219 but it later rebuilt and profited off being part of the Silk Road.  In 1865 it was annexed by the Russian Empire.  

In 1930 it became the capital of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic.  Mass industrialization took place in the 1920s and 1930s.  It was the 4th largest city in the USSR after Moscow, Leningrad, and Kyiv.

In 1966 there was an 8,3 magnitude earthquake that destroyed the city.  More than 300 000 people were left homeless and around 78 000 homes were destroyed.  There's little when it comes to the city's 2200 year history.  The Monument of Courage was unveiled 10 years later.  The granite block shows the time and date of the earthquake.     

The city's largest square used to be Lenin Square but it was renamed Independence Square in 1992.  It's less of a square and more of a huge park with several fountains and monuments.

The world's largest statue of Lenin was taken down and replaced with the Monument to the Independence of Uzbekistan.

On the other side of the park is the Tomb of the Unknown Solider, an Uzbek who died in the Battle of Moscow.  The eternal flame burns for those who died fighting in WWII.  

Amir Timur Square was built in 1870 as the city's Central Park.  The Lenin statue was replaced with a Stalin statue which was replaced with a statue of Karl Marx until independence when Amir Timur was reinstated as the national hero.

The Amir Timur Museum opened in 1996.  The museum has over 5000 artefacts in its collection with more than 2000 displayed.  The museum is stunning inside and well worth a visit.

The clock tower opened in 1947.  A second clock tower was opened later and it's an exact replica of the first one.

Hotel Uzbekistan opened in 1974.  It was the city's primary hotel during Soviet times and today it is a 4-star hotel.  The lobby has an ATM that actually works.  More on that later.

The Palace of International Forums is the congress hall.  It opened in 2009 to celebrate the city's 2200th anniversary.

The Cosmonaut Memorial opened in 1984.  Uzbek astronauts, scientists, and scholars played a big part in the Soviet space programme.

The Alay Bazaar is one of the oldest bazaars in the city.  It's quite popular for fruits, vegetables, spices, and sweets.

The People's Friendship Palace was built in 1981.  The facility is used for concerts and other large events.  There's a 50 metre (164 foot) flag pole in front of it at the People's Friendship Park.

The Kukeldash Madrassa was built around 1570.  It is one of the few religious buildings to survive the earthquake.

The Dzhuma Mosque was built in 1451.

The State Museum of Applied Arts opened in 1937.  There are more than 4000 exhibits.  

The State Museum of the History of Uzbekistan was founded in 1876.  It used to be the Lenin Museum.

The Tashkent Television Tower opened in 1985.  At 375 metres (1,230 feet) tall, it is the second tallest structure in Central Asia.  From 1985 to 1991 it was the 4th tallest tower in the world.

Aqua Park is the city's largest swimming area and is popular with families.

Tashkentland is the city's amusement park.  Another place popular with families.

The Hazrat Imam Complex is a religious centre that opened in 2007.  It is home to a famous Ottoman Quran and other ancient manuscripts.

The Minor Mosque opened in 2014.  The white marble is stunning.

The Centre of Enlightenment is home of the Palace of Symposiums and the National Library of Uzbekistan.

The Art Gallery of Uzbekistan opened in 2004.  While it is one of the youngest museums in the country it is the most modern and the most visited museum in the city.

The First Ashkenazi Synagogue of Tashkent opened in 1973.

The former Palace of Prince Romanov used to belong to the first cousin of Alexander III.  The cousin was deported to Tashkent after an affair with an American woman and some shady deals involving the Russian Crown Jewels.  The building was built in 1889 and it was once a museum but it was later appropriated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Navoi Theatre is the national opera theatre.  The building opened to the public in 1947.

The Chorsu Bazaar is huge.  It's probably the city's most famous bazaar.

The Central Asian Plov Centre is the place for lunch.  Plov is the country's national dish which is basically rice pilaf.  But way better.

It is cooked in massive cauldron looking things.  Plov is rice, pieces of meat, normally lamb or beef, plus onions, yellow carrots, quail eggs, and horse meat sausage.

There was quite a bit to see in Tashkent.  The next adventure is Samarkand which is 344 km (214 miles) away.