Samarkand

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Samarkand is one of those legendary cities that speak to the imagination just by the sound of the name. The city was founded by the Persians more than 2750 years ago, making it one of the oldest still inhabited cities in the world. The long history counts many tumultuous moments. For example, Alexander the Great captured the city in 329 BC, in the 13th century the Mongols passed by and the infamous Timur Lenk made Samarkand the capital of one of the greatest empires of all time. And all these centuries the city was one of the most important cities on the Silk Road.

The Registan is the heart of the city. On the square in front of it are three beautiful madrassas (Koranic schools), with nicely decorated green-blue domes that glisten in the sun. A fifteen minutes walk away is another highlight of Samarkand: Sha-i-Zinda. In this city of the dead, the mausoleums of dozens of rich and powerful inhabitants of the city lie side by side, one even more beautiful than others.

During the walk to the Sha-i-Zinda you pass the enormous Bibi-Khanym Mosque, which was built between 1399 and 1404 on behalf of Timur Lenk. Timur Lenk himself is buried in the smaller but less beautiful Gur-e Amir. Samarkand: crossroads of cultures ", is not for nothing the attribution of Sarmarkand to the Unesco World Heritage List.

North-West Samarkand:

A few hundred meters north-west of The Registan is the crown on Timur Lenk's work - the beautiful mosque Bibi Khanum. It was built just before the death of the cruel ruler and is named after his beloved Bibi.

Once was it the world's largest mosque with an entrance height of 35 meters. And then there is also Shai-i-Zinda, the age-old cemetery with accompanying mosque. It looks like a street with on both sides the most beautifully decorated mausoleums worldwide. 

Other attractions:

• Hazrat Hizr mosque and Guri Amir mausoleum (Timoer Lenk is buried here).

Samarkand was most likely founded somewhere in the 14th century BC in the fertile soil of Serafšān as a oasis-city. It became one of the cities on the Silk Road between the Middle East, Persia, India and China, and thanks tot his it’s largely got it’s prosperity. Alexander III the Great conquered the then completely walled city in 329 BC. When he arrived in the city he spoke the legendary words; "Everything I have heard about Marakanda (now Samarkand) is true, except that it is much more beautiful than I had ever imagined”.

The Arabs brought Islam to the region of Sogdia, which was largely Christian before that time. Ibn Qutaiba conquered the city for the first time in 712, but a number of revolts followed. It took until 753, after the defeat of the Chinese by the river Talas in 751, for Islam there was solid ground underfoot. In 1141 the Kitan prince Yelü Dashi of the western Liao, who maintained good relations with the Nestorians, added the city to his empire.

In 1220 the Mongols of Genghis Khan conquered the city, which was severely damaged. Timur Lenk made Samarkand in 1370 the capital of his great empire. Timur ordered architects from all over the empire to come to Samarkand to embellish his capital. Many of the historic buildings that can still be seen are from Timur's hand. When the Uzbeks made Bukhara their capital, Samarkand partly fell into oblivion. After a number of heavy earthquakes hit the city it was almost unpopulated. 

In 1868 the city came under Russian control (protectorate). In 1920 the last emir, Alimkhan, was expelled by the Bolsheviks. It was him who forced the city to be "populated" again. After this, the Soviet republic Bukhara was proclaimed. In 1924, however, it was absorbed in the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic, which until 1930 was the capital. Tashkent then acquired this position and has retained it until now. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1990, the city came under Uzbek administration.

You can travel in different ways from or to Samarkand. The train station is located about 5 km northwest of the city - with bus 22 (300 Som) you can get here. You can also travel by bus, a marshrutka or a "shared" taxi. Many buses leave from the wide street Universiteti (on both sides).

Samarkand - Bukhara: from the Tashkent Kochasi bus stop there is a bus leaving/departing in Samarkand. The journey to Bukhara takes about 5 hours and costs 3500 Sum. But you can also take a "shared" taxi - price is 11,000 Sum and the ride takes about 3 hours.

• Name: Antica

Address: Iskandarov 58

Price: 16 dollars (incl. Breakfast)

Phone nr. : 235 20 92

Email: antica2006@rambler.ru

Content:

The hostel is located about 500 meters from the main attraction of the Registan but in a very quiet (residential) neighborhood. When you enter, there is a beautiful courtyard with flowers and plants. The entire (main) building and hostel is built in the typical Uzbek style and breakfast is served outside on the terrace in the same atmosphere. The room is also beautifully decorated with antique clothing, Oriental carpets and furniture.

On the bed you see the beautiful old-fashioned ceiling, and the doors are made of walnut wood. It is all clean, neat and professionally arranged. A beautiful place to enjoy the afternoon in the garden of a wonderful day out.