Samarkand
25/05/14 22:57
Next stop is the Registan. This ensemble of majestic, tilting medressas - a near-overload of majolica, azure mosaics and vast, well proportioned spaces - is the centerpiece of the city, and one of the most awesome single sights in Central Asia. Again - just beautiful! The Registan, which translates to „Sandy Place“ in Tajik, was medieval Samarkand’s commercial centre and the plaza was rob ably a wall-to-wall bazaar. Ulugbek Medressa is the original medressa, finished in 1420 und Ulugbek who taught here mathematics, theology, astronomy and philosophy. The other buildings are rough imitations by the Shaybanid Emir Yalangtush: Sher For (Lion) Medressa finished in 1636 and Tilla-Kari (Gold-Covered) Medressa, completed in 1660. The mosque’s delicate ceiling, oozing gold leaf, is flat but its tapered design makes it look domed from the inside.
Bibi-Khanym Mosque was finished shortly before Timur’s death and must have been the jewel of this empire. It was once one of the Islamic world’s biggest mosque. After visiting the Slob Bazaar, where local people do their daily shopping, we have lunch at a local tea house. Quite good. On to Ulugbek’s Observatory, one of the great archaeological finds of the 20th century. Ulugbek was probably more famous as an astronomer than as a ruler. His 30m astrolabe, designed to observe star positions, was part of a three-story observatory that he built in the 1420’s. He did one of the most accurate calculations of the length of a year: he was only one minute wrong!!.
The next big attraction is Sha-I-Zinda, the stunning avenue of mausoleums which contains some of the richest tile work in the Muslim world. The name, which means „Tomb of the Living King“ refers to its original, innermost and holiest shrine: the grave of Qusa ibn-Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Mohammed who is said to have brought Islam to this area in the 7th century. Impressive again but we slowly but surely have memory overflow. So back to the hotel, only slow Internet connection (sorry folks), another decent dinner at a local restaurant and early to bed in our luxury suites.
Bibi-Khanym Mosque was finished shortly before Timur’s death and must have been the jewel of this empire. It was once one of the Islamic world’s biggest mosque. After visiting the Slob Bazaar, where local people do their daily shopping, we have lunch at a local tea house. Quite good. On to Ulugbek’s Observatory, one of the great archaeological finds of the 20th century. Ulugbek was probably more famous as an astronomer than as a ruler. His 30m astrolabe, designed to observe star positions, was part of a three-story observatory that he built in the 1420’s. He did one of the most accurate calculations of the length of a year: he was only one minute wrong!!.
The next big attraction is Sha-I-Zinda, the stunning avenue of mausoleums which contains some of the richest tile work in the Muslim world. The name, which means „Tomb of the Living King“ refers to its original, innermost and holiest shrine: the grave of Qusa ibn-Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Mohammed who is said to have brought Islam to this area in the 7th century. Impressive again but we slowly but surely have memory overflow. So back to the hotel, only slow Internet connection (sorry folks), another decent dinner at a local restaurant and early to bed in our luxury suites.
TransAsia 2014