SAMARKAND
39.6542° N, 66.9597° E
Samarkand, alternatively Samarqand or
Samarcand, is the second-largest city in
Uzbekistan and the capital of Samarqand
Province. The city is most noted for its
central position on the Silk Road between
China and the West, and for being an Islamic
centre for scholarly study. In the 14th
century it became the capital of the empire of
Timur (Tamerlane) and is the site of his
mausoleum (the Gur-e Amir). The BibiKhanym Mosque (a modern replica) remains
one of the city's most notable landmarks.
The Registan was the ancient center of the
city. The city has carefully preserved the
traditions of ancient crafts: embroidery, gold
embroidery, silk weaving, engraving on
copper, ceramics, carving and painting on
wood.
Along with Bukhara, Samarkand is one of the
oldest inhabited cities in the world,
prospering from its location on the trade
route between China and the Mediterranean
(Silk Road). At times Samarkand has been
one of the greatest cities of Central Asia.
In 2001, UNESCO added the city to its
World Heritage List as Samarkand –
Crossroads of Cultures.