Our next destination in Samarkand, Uzbekistan is Shah-i-Zinda, or the necropolis of Samarkand consisting of grand mausoleums and tombs belonging to the royal family. This place is considered one of the holiest shrines in Samarkand if not in the whole Islamic world since it is believed that Qusam ibn-Abbas is buried here in this cemetery. Qusam ibn-Abbas was the cousin of Prophet Mohammed and he had come to Samarkand to preach Islam. Back then the practiced religion of this region was Zoroastrianism. Had had died in the year 677 and was buried here in Samarkand.
History Of Shah-i-Zinda
The cemetery has changed in size and structure but its importance remains and perhaps why this place is called Shah-i-Zinda which means “The King Lives or The Living King”.
The place where Qusam ibn-Abbas is set to have been buried is now a shrine for devotes. Unfortunately, the original structure was destroyed when the Mongols took over Samarkand. It was later rebuilt and especially flourished during the time of Timur and Ulugh Beg when they started burying the dead from the royal family around the tomb of Qusam ibn-Abbas.
While some tombs are simple with just a stone slab on top others are lavish with intricate blue and azure tile work.
What To See At Shah-i-Zinda
This is a ticketed monument and you will be able to access all the tombs that are located around a narrow lane going up the hill. On both sides of this small lane, you will find a mix of both small and grand tombs.
You will enter Shah-i-Zinda from a large ornate gate which was built by Ulugh Beg and then you climb up to see all the tombs.
The star attraction of this place is Qusam Ibn Abbas Mausoleum which is located on the top and is a very busy place as it is thronged by devotees. When I was there photography and videography were restricted particularly for this mausoleum but it’s allowed for the rest of the monuments.
The whole place can be divided into roughly three sections starting from the ground up. The lower group, the middle group, and the upper group can be used to roughly segregate the tombs. The lower group is the section of tombs that start from the bottom of the staircase after crossing the large gate built by Ulugh Beg. The highlight of this section is the tomb of Kazi Zade Rumi which had a double dome. He was an astronomer and someone whom Ulugh Beg used to revere.
The middle group consists of some of the most stunning tombs with colored tiles. These tile works are not just restricted to the exterior walls but the interior also.
The upper section is dominated by the Qusam Ibn Abbas Mausoleum which needs to be accessed through interconnecting doorways. Three mausoleums are facing each other in this section and all of them have that green, blue, azure tile front façade making this the most colorful section.
Ruins Of Ancient Hammam
Right at the foothill is the ruins of an ancient hammam dated around the 15th century. You do not require a ticket for this and can be seen from the main road itself.
Location Of Shah-i-Zinda On Map
Other Blogs On Samarkand
Registan Square
Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum
Tomb of Saint Daniel, Samarkand
Ulugh Beg Observatory
Bibi Khanym Mosque