Shahrisabz
The birthplace of Amir Timur — a city he favoured above Samarkand. The ruins of Ak-Saray Palace still convey the scale of the 14th century.
The face of Shahrisabz
Tamerlane's homeland
Shahrisabz — "the Green City" in Persian — was Timur's birthplace and favourite home. Here he ordered the building of Ak-Saray, the "White Palace," which was meant to surpass Samarkand in scale. Only the pylons of the entrance arch survive — 38 metres tall — and from them you can imagine the whole.
Through the mountain pass
The city lies in a valley between Samarkand and the Pamir-Alay mountains, surrounded by gardens and vineyards. From Samarkand it's just over an hour through the Takhtakaracha Pass, and the road itself — with hairpins and gorge views — is a journey in its own right.
The blue dome and the crypt
The centre preserves the Dorut-Tillavat ensemble with the Kok-Gumbaz Madrasah ("Blue Dome") — one of the oldest surviving madrasahs of the Timurid era. Beside it stand the Gumbazi-Sayyidan mausoleum and the crypt prepared for Timur — though he was never buried here. Tamerlane died on campaign and was taken to Samarkand.
Getting to Shahrisabz
What to see in Shahrisabz
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