The oldest city in Uzbekistan and even in Central Asia dates back at least 2500 years. It lies in the middle of the Great Silk Road and was the capital of Uzbekistan until the 1930’s.
Remains of the fortress walls that once surrounded 240 hectares of land.
With its position on the Great Silk Road, legend has it that the secret of papermaking, which became a local industry, was obtained from two Chinese prisoners from the Battle of Talas in 751, which led to the first paper mill in the Islamic world to be founded in Samarkand. The invention then spread to the rest of the Islamic world, and from there to Europe. At one point there were 300 paper mills producing silk paper to be traded along the Silk Road to Europe.
This special paper is made from the fibers of mulberry tree branches. All the machinery is water driven and the paper itself is very durable and soft – cloth like.
Amir Timur ( 1336 – 1405), was a Turkic-Mongol conqueror who founded the Timurid Empire in and around modern-day Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia, becoming the first ruler of the Timurid Dynasty. An undefeated commander, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest military leaders and tacticians in history, as well as one of the most brutal and deadly.
He became clan leader in 1360, and ten years later, controlled Samarkand, which became his seat of power and favorite city. He built defensive walls and a citadel. Timur married female descendants of Genghis Khan to increase his legitimacy, and although embracing the title Amir (“prince”), he never called himself a khan or sultan.
We visited his stunning mausoleum.
Yesterday evening our guide promised us a surprise! He took us to Registan Square to see the sound and light show of these incredible structures. Tomorrow we will go there in daylight.
This young Muslim woman wanted her photo taken with us.
