Not far from Samarkand is a city that plays an important part in Uzbek history. Shakhrisabz is the birthplace of beloved leader Amir Temur. Even though it made sense for him to run his empire from Samarkand, he chose to build his family home in the small town of Shakhrisabz.
After spending a few days exploring the historical sites of Registan, Amir Temur Mausoleum and Avenue of Mausoleums in Samarkand, we were ready to see where the Temurid Dynasty began. Although the buildings in Shakhrisabz aren’t as impressive as those in Samarkand, they are designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of their historical importance. Today the heritage buildings that remain are showcased in a large, treed park on the edge of Shakhrisabz.
Ak-Saray
The first place you will visit in the park is usually Ak-Saray (White Palace), the former residence of Amir Temur. Today there are only two towers still standing but on them you can see some of the original tile work from this 14th century building. After visiting the restored buildings in Samarkand, its easy to imagine how grand the palace would have looked when it was newly decorated in glazed bricks and blue tiles.
A statue of Amir Temur stands within sight of the palace.
To read more about Amir Temur, visit our post from Tashkent.
During the 3 ½ km walk between the palace and the next site of interest you pass a few historical buildings, but mostly it’s a long walk. We went by Chubin Madrasah, a 14th century madrasah that is now a small museum. We didn’t go inside because we had already been told that it doesn’t have many artifacts. Next we passed the 19th century Abdushukur Agalik Madrasah. After another block you’ll find the 16th century Caravansary Koba that is now a restaurant and a 14th century Chorsu (bazaar) that is now being used by weavers to sell their fabric.
Finally, as we approached the far end of the park we could see both Dor Us-Siyadat and Dorat Tilovat Complexes.
Dor Us-Siyadat Complex
This complex, built in 1392, was originally intended to be the final resting place of Amir Temur. He was having it built when he was alive and wanted the complex to include not only his mausoleum but also a khonaka (a place to meet and discuss theology) and an inn where those on pilgrimages could stay. While it was being built Temur’s favourite son Jehangir, died suddenly so Temur built a mausoleum for his son at this site as well.
The interior of Jehangir’s mausoleum is fairly plain but you can’t help but notice the remarkably high ceiling. It’s easier to appreciate the height of the ceiling when viewed from outside where a brick dome rises high above a small building.
Next to the mausoleum is a newer mosque. Built in the 19th century, wooden pillars surround Khazreti Imam Mosque giving it an interesting look. The mosque is closed to visitors.
Surrounding the complex are partial walls; the remains of historic buildings. Hidden away in these ruins is the crypt that was built for Amir Temur. We would have missed it if we didn’t see a few local men walking toward it. All that remains is a small wooden door that opens up to a steep staircase. We walked down the narrow old steps to reach a small crypt that holds an empty casket. Apparently because Temur died very far away from Shakhrisabz in the middle of winter, it was not possible to bury him in his home town. Instead, Amir Temur’s grandson Ulugh Beg, arranged for the extraordinary mausoleum in Samarkand to be built for the leader (read our story about Amir Temur Mausoleum here).
Dorat Tilovat Complex
Across the road is Dorat Tilovat Complex. From a distance we could see three tall blue domes behind a typical tall rectangular entry way. Under the largest blue dome is Kok-Gumbaz Mosque which Ulugh Beg built as a tribute to his father and Amir Temur’s son, Shah Rukh. Kok-Gumbaz translates to Blue Dome and is often used to refer to the whole complex instead of Dorat Tilovat.
Behind the exquisite wooden doors is the prayer room with walls decorated in pretty blue and white flowers surrounded by geometric designs. It is no longer used as a mosque so no special dress is required.
Across from the mosque are two mausoleums under the two smaller domes. They are understated but pretty in their decorations. Amir Temur built one of the tombs for the respected teacher, Shamsad-Dina Kulyala. A couple of years later, Temur had his father’s body also placed in the mausoleum.
Next to it Gumbazi Seydon Mausoleum was built by Ulugh Beg for his descendants, but it is not known if any of his relatives are buried there.
Surrounding the complex are cells that would have been used as meeting rooms to discuss theology. Now most of them house small stalls selling souvenirs, scarves and bags. I wonder what Amir Temur and Ulugh Beg would think if they knew that their beloved tribute buildings were now being used to sell kitschy souvenir trinkets.
Entry fee – 21,000 UZS ($1.83 USD) for each of these sites. Tickets are sold outside the entrance to each site. Hours – 9am – 5pm
Getting to Shakhrisabz
Shakhrisabz is only 60 km from Samarkand. The easiest way to visit, other than an organized tour, is with a private driver. We hired a taxi driver recommended by our hotel in Samarkand, to drive us to Shakhrisabz, wait for us for 2 hours and return to Samarkand for 400,000 UZS ($35 USD). Taxi drivers on the street wanted $50 USD.
On the drive our taxi stopped at a few viewpoints. One was called Devil’s Plateau, where a German western movie called ‘Apache’ was filmed. The taxi driver told us that the landscape looks like the US. I guess we could agree that parts of it look like it could pass for the US in films. Especially in a German ‘western’ film. Next we stopped at a small market to buy locally grown pistachios for a very good price. On display were white, qurut balls which are made from fermented milk. They are a favourite treat all over Central Asia. Our last stop was at a view point on Takhzakaracha Pass at an elevation of 1,780m.
Please visit the link for our Travel Tips in Uzbekistan.
To read our other posts from Uzbekistan click here.
Coming Next – Bukhara, A Silk Road City
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To read about more of our adventures go to Destinations.
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