90 km South of Samarkand, the great capital of the Timurid Empire, on the other side of the mountains, lies Kesh, now known as Shahrisabz, the city where Amir Timur (known in the West as Tamerlane) was born. Shahrisabz is actually the Persian name of the city, meaning “green city”.
Timur never forgot his city and he built there a sumptuous palace, madrasahs and mosques. In Shahrisabz he buried two sons and he always wanted to be buried in Shahrisabz, but his family decided to build a grandiose mausoleum in Samarkand.
Nowadays, in Shahrisabz you can see the well-preserved but not reconstructed ruins of Amir Timur’s palace and two interesting complexes, including the tomb built by Amir Timur for his family and some other structures like the domed market (Chorsu).
Shahrisabz’s city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.
These monumental buildings were integrated in the Historic Centre of Shahrisabz, an area of narrow and irregular alleyways, picturesque corners and old teahouses were local people lived. According to UNESCO these “ancient quarters” bore “witness to the city’s secular development”.
Unfortunately, following the usual tourist policy of Uzbekistan, a few years ago the government decided to demolish the old neighbourhood and build a huge tree-lined pedestrian square in its place linking all monuments.
This new development is incredibly boring, even more in a rainy day, when street sellers don’t take their places in the square. Some shops, restaurants and hotels have been built around the square – we found them all closed, but they all looked unappealing and artificial.
Is this really what tourists want? Certainly, not us. This is why, when travelling, we must think of the impact that our travel lifestyle, what we value and the activities we choose has on local communities and historical towns.
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Arriving in Shahrisabz
Shahrisabz lies 90 km South of Samarkand, on road M39, across the Tahtakaracha pass (1788 metres above sea level). This pass is not safe for buses and trucks, which must take a longer route.
If you don’t have a car, the fastest and easiest way to arrive from Samarkand to Shahrisabz is by taxi, which you can share. You can find taxis to Shahrisabz by Samarkand’s Registan, or in the alley across it. They will probably ask you for 150.000 som (€12) per person. Haggle a bit, we managed to get to 125.000 som (of course a local will always get a better price).
The trip takes around 1h30 by road. Usually, the taxi driver will wait for you one hour in Shahrisabz, which is enough to visit all points of interest, except museums.
A cheaper option is to travel by minibus. These run from Samarkand (across the Registan) to Kitob, some 10 km from Shahrisabz. In Kitob you will need a marshrutka (or a taxi) to arrive in your final destination.
There is an Afrosiyob high-speed train Afrosiyob service to Shahrisabz. However, the train from Samarkand goes through Qarshi, taking a much longer route around the mountains, and takes 3 hours. There is only one train each way daily, which makes this option less convenient.
The landscape in the trip from Samarkand to Shahrisabz is marvellous, and one of the reasons to do this trip. However, we went to Shahrisabz in the most rainy day in our trip and you couldn’t see anything.
Ok Saroy
Ok Saroy (“White Palace”) was the huge royal palace that Amir Timur built in his hometown. Only the marvellous entrance gate to the palace remains today. It was 50 metres high and was flanked by two 65-metre minarets, now lost. Seen from behind, the gate looks almost like a fortress.
After visiting Samarkand, you may feel dismayed by seeing a ruin, but you must think that the historical buildings in Samarkand have been rebuilt in the last century, whereas what you see in Shahrisabz is original. Go closer to admire the blue and turquoise faience tiles with intricate designs.
Construction of Ok Saroy started in 1380, when Amir Timur was extending his empire. Several artisans from all over the lands Timur controlled worked for 24 years to build and embellish this palace. The Castillian ambassador Ruy González de Clavijo visited Kesh (Shahrisabz) and was marvelled by Ok Saroy, which had a total area of over 1.5 hectares.
After the fall of the Timurid Empire, the shaybanids destroyed the palace in an attempt to erase the history of Timur’s great dynasty.
Behind the gate, you will find a small reconstructed section of the old city wall of Shahrisabz, which was up to 11 metres high.
A bit further stands the monument to Amir Timur, the main character in Shahrisabz. The statue is nothing special, but Uzbeks love taking photos here, even for their wedding album.
Chubin & Abdushukur Agalik Madrasahs
Chubin Madrasah was built in the 16th-18th century, after the fall of the Timurid Empire. Buildings from this time are dwarfed by Amir Timur’s great monuments. Nowadays, this madrasah houses a small Museum of History of Shahrisabz, which includes some archaelogical findings.
Just across, the 19th-century Abdushukur Agalik Madrasah looks nicer with its painted iwan and carved wooden columns. It was closed during our visit.
Chorsu
Continue walking South, towards the two main monumental complexes, you will find the domed bazaar or Chorsu.
This chorsu was built in the 15th century, although it has undergone several changes in later centuries. It was fully functioning until just a few years ago, along with the open-air bazaar next to it, until the government decided to end all life in Shahrisabz historic centre and turn it into a tourist theme park.
Dor at-Tilyavat Complex (Ko'k Gumbaz Mosque)
On the southwestern edge of Shahrisabz historic centre lies the Dor at-Tilyavat (Abode of Reverence) Complex. Its history starts in 1374, when the tomb of Sheij Shamsiddin Kulyol was built – this is the small dome on the left. Kulyol was a sufi scholar that converted the Chagtai tribes to Islam. This complex thus became an important pilgrimage site.
On its right a similar mausoleum was built, known as Gumbazi Seidon (Dome of the Sayyids), under which some Timurid high-ranking officials were buried.
The Ko’k Gumbaz (Blue Dome) Mosque is the most important building in the complex and the main mosque of Shahrisabz. It was built in 1434-35, by Ulug Beg, Amir Timur’s grandson known as a astronomer, when he was governor of Samarkand.
The dome of Ko’k Gumbaz Mosque was larger than that of Samarkand’s Bibi Khanum Mosque and it featured 40 domed galleries. The dome collapsed in the 18th century, but was later reconstructed. Its interior decoration is very pleasant and harmonious, but not overwhelming, despite the humidity marks on the dome.
Dor us-Siyodat Complex
Just East of Dor al-Tilyavat, stands the Dor us-Siyodat Complex, also written Dor as-Siadat (Abode of Might), the royal necropolis of the Timurids.
Amir Timur himself ordered the construction of this complex after the death of his favourite son and heir Jahangir. It is said that Amir Timur was so affected by his death that he suspended his military campaigns.
The complex was finished by 1404. Before, in 1394, another of Amir Timur’s sons, Umar, died after an arrow pierced his neck at the Tuz Khurmatu fortress, in modern Iraq. His corpse was taken to Shahsirabz for burial in the family mausoleum.
Amir Timur also desired to be buried here, in his hometown. However, his family decided to change plans and build a new, more luxurious mausoleum in the imperial capital Samarkand – Gur-e Amir.
On the northern part of Dor as-Siadat stands the Hazrati Imom Mosque, built in the 19th c. and still active. Even though Shahrisabz historic centre has been emptied of life, locals still pray in this mosque.
Where to eat in Shahrisabz
During our visit to Shahrisabz we barely saw places to eat. Just a couple of those enormous restaurants, made for package holiday tourists. We didn’t care much anyway, because we asked our taxi driver to take us somewhere for lunch – we highly recommend doing the same.
There are many places to eat in the Tahtakaracha mountain pass, authentic places for locals. Our taxi driver took us to a place that was full of people, Katta tosh tandiri. Like in many other places on the pass, the specialty was lamb roasted in tandir oven, served with green tea, salads and bread. You basically buy the meat by weight and they cook it for you.
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