Magnificent Samarkand

row of Timurid tombs for Tamerlane's sisters

Speaking of legendary places, Samarkand is like Bukhara—one of those ancient names that I always romanticized as a mysterious city of the fabled Orient.  Here are some impressions now that I’ve spent 2 days here.

doorway to a tomb

Samarkand is a desert city with wide boulevards lined with chestnut trees (a favorite of the President, so they’re everywhere as this was his birthplace), 400,000 people, some of Central Asia’s finest craft workshops, and spectacular monuments, mostly reconstructed after centuries of earthquakes, wars and destruction.  It has parks and gardens which are pleasantly cool during hot summer days and which remain surprisingly clean.  I have seen more women wearing colorful, but hot in this weather, Muslim dress including head scarves tightly encircling their faces.  At the monuments, some young Roma women show you their babies as they ask for money.  This infuriates our guide.

Tamerlane's tomb complex

inside Tamerlane's gorgeous tomb

This was also Timur’s (Tamerlane) city where he built magnificent mosques and tombs to display his power and glory.  Timur’s empire spread from Istanbul almost to China, which he always coveted, but died on his way to conquer before he even got close.  While he loved beauty and opulence, he also was responsible for the slaughter of possibly millions of people, so I guess he needed all those places for prayer in hopes his own soul would make it to heaven.

Tamerlane's gravestone

Our first visit was to the row of beautiful tombs Timur built for several of his sisters.  The area is still a Muslim cemetery, so is surrounded by thousands of interesting gravestones.  Interesting because most of the modern burials have the faces of their inhabitants etched on the black gravestones.  Since the Koran forbids representations of animals and people lest the faithful worship false gods, this is very unusual.  Our guide explained, “The Russians brought vodka and cigarettes which Uzbeks love, so why not add one more disobedience.”

carved wooden  doors

 

Today, we spent most of the morning at Timur’s own tomb, a beautifully designed and now heavily reconstructed mausoleum, with minarets and mosque.  Timur originally built it for his beloved grandson, designated to be his successor, who died at the age of 29.  Timur was devastated and began building his tomb, hoping to see it finished before he himself died.  He nearly did, but embarked on his campaign against China at the age of 69, led his large army only 400 kilometers before dying of pneumonia, and so was returned to Samarkand and buried here along with 2 sons, 2 grandsons and his spiritual advisor.

tiled interior of tomb

at the end of the row of tombs