On my last day of tour of Uzbekistan, I decided to visit Shahrisabz the place where the great leader Timur was born. You can cover Shahrisabz as a day trip from Samarkand and I would highly recommend this as there is a lot to see here and the journey to Shahrisabz also is very scenic. I have listed down some of the best places to visit in Shahrisabz.
I would also recommend you hire a car along with a driver from Samarkand for this trip as it would be quick and comfortable.
History Of Shahrisabz
Historically this should have been the capital of Timur’s empire but as luck would have it the center of all decisions remained at Samarkand and ultimately Timur was also buried there. Since this is the place where Timur was born he decided to build it at his capital and build a large palace here. Timur was born here in 1336 and back then this place was known as Kesh. Kesh is not the only name this place had, other names like Nautaca.
Timur built his Ak-Saray Palace here in Shahrisabz and along with it also built a tomb for himself where he wanted to be buried after his death. Unfortunately, he could not be buried here and was buried in Samarkand but that tomb still stands today.
Apart from this palace Ulugh Beg built a mosque here and there are other historical structures located near the remains of the palace.
Teshik Tash
On the way to Shahrisabz, the first stop on the way would be at Teshik Tash which is a viewpoint for tourists. With the beautiful view of Karatepinskoe Reservoir in the background with the long winding M39 road in front.
On top of a small hillock, you will find large stone formations which unfortunately have been badly spray painted with graffiti. Minus the spray paints, this is a nice spot to enjoy nature and wonder about one of the famous Neanderthal skeletons of a small boy that was discovered inside a cavern nearby. In 1938 Russian archaeologist A. P. Okladnikov discovered the remains of an 8 – 10-year-old boy in a small pit. It is believed that the boy was buried and not just left since they also found horns covering the body signifying a proper burial.
Tahtakaracha Pass
Half the way towards Shahrisabz the second stop of the day would be Tahtakaracha Pass. This a beautiful spot to see the majestic landscape of the valley down below and the mountain tops in the backdrop. During winter expect the surroundings to be covered in snow but at other times you can see the breathtaking colors of nature.
Ak-Saray Palace
This is the main tourist attraction for Shahrisabz, the palace built by Timur. Construction of the palace started in 1380 and finished in 1404 just one year before his death. After his death none of the next in line concentrated on ruling from Shahrisabz and the last nail in the coffin was when Abdullah Khan II attacked this place completely ransacking it and destroying the palace in the 16th century. This was an attempt by him to remove the influence of Timur and his legacy in this region. He wanted to remove anything that would get associated with Timur.
The only thing that one can now see is the 125-foot-high pylon or the side portions of a large gate. The massive vertical rectangular structures truly give the idea of what the palace would have looked like if the entrance was such grand. Near the gate, there are a few sections where the foundation is still visible and one can see some floor mosaics.
The area around the palace compound now features landscaped areas with a massive statue of Amir Timur at the center positioned on a high pedestal.
Maqom Museum
This is a newly opened museum located within the premises of Ak-Saray Palace and this museum is dedicated to the art of Maqom which is a traditional style of music from this region, especially Shahrisabz. This is a ticketed place and needs to be purchased separately from the one that you might have purchased while entering Ak-Saray Palace. This museum features musical instruments and forms of art represented in forms of model displays.
Shahrisabz Museum of History and Material Culture
This is the museum which is dedicated to the history of Timur and Shahrisabz. This is a ticketed monument and requires a separate ticket.
Inside one can see models of the old city, paintings, pottery, porcelain dishes, metal objects, jewellery, etc. This is a good place to get an overall understanding of the city.
Abdushukur Agalik Madrasa & Mosque
An ancient mosque and madrasa are located within the compound. The most unique thing about this building is the wooden pillars which can be seen from outside.
Koba Caravanserai
These are places where traders who would have come from different regions would come to rest and exchange & sell goods.
Chorsu Complex
Chorsu in this region means bazaar and here at Shahrisabz also we have a building that once was a trading post. The building has been restored and one can see from outside.
Kok Gumbaz Mosque
This mosque is at the end of the Ak-Saray Palace compound. This mosque was built by Ulugh Beg in honor of his father Shah Rukh. Construction started in 1434 and was completed within a year. It is to be noted that during this time Ak-Saray Palace was still very much standing. This is the main mosque of the Dorut Tilavat Complex.
The mosque has a huge green dome with a large ornate gate in front. The gate features Islamic calligraphic texts on the façade. The interior of the mosque also features beautifully colored tiles green and white tiles. The original dome of the mosque had collapsed over time and was rebuilt as a part of the renovation process.
Shamsuddin Kulol Mausoleum
Right opposite of Kok Ghumbaz Mosque in the Dorut Tilavat complex is the Shamsuddin Kulol Mausoleum which shares its walls with the Gumbazi Sayidon Mausoleum.
This mausoleum features the graves of Muhammed Taragai who was the father of Amir Timur and of Sheikh Shamsuddin Kulol who was the teacher of Timur. This structure was built by Timur in the year 1373 and completed within a year. This building also features a small green dome. The interior has colorful green and white tilework on the walls all the way up to the ceiling. There are four distinct graves that you can see next to each other.
Gumbazi Sayidon Mausoleum
This is located on the right side of Shamsuddin Kulol Mausoleum. This building also features a green dome on top and the interior has a green and white tilework that stretches from the walls to the ceiling. This building features one grave.
Historians associate the building of the mausoleum to Ulugh Beg who had originally planned this as the last resting place for this descendants.
Dor Us-Siyodat Mausoleum
Walking towards the east from the Dorut Tilavat complex for around 200 meters will take you to the Dor Us-Siyodat Mausoleum. This building was built by Timur in the year 1392 in honour of his eldest son Jahangir who had died after falling from a horse in the year 1375. His son was aged 22 at that time and being the eldest it was natural for him to succeed Timur.
Portions of the main building are now visible with significant side sections missing. This building was rebuilt and renovated recently as similar to the other building in the vicinity this mausoleum had also suffered major damage.
Mechet’ Khazrat Imom
This is a small mosque located next to the Dor Us-Siyodat Mausoleum and features an open porch with wooden pillars.
Amir Timur Crypt
As mentioned earlier Shahrisabz was Timur’s favorite city and that is the reason why he built his new palace here. Along with that he also decided this place was to be his last resting place and had built a tomb near Dor Us-Siyodat Mausoleum which was built in honour of his eldest son.
He unfortunately could not be buried here as the pass to Shahrisabz could not be covered due to heavy winter snow and had to be buried in Samarkand but his original tomb remained in this city.
Over the years and centuries, the location of the tomb was lost and it was discovered recently. In the year 1933 Soviet archaeologist and museum researcher Y G Gulyamov found and catalogued this finding. A few years later in 1942 M.E. Masson and G.A. Pugachenkova managed to confirm that this was indeed the tomb meant for Timur.
To reach the crypt you need to go below the ground inside a small chamber featuring a single tomb with a flat top. Some inscriptions that can be seen inside start with “Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim” followed by other lines. The line which confirmed this to be of Timur was “This is the tomb of the exalted sultan, the great, the noble, the commander of the victorious armies, the shadow of God on Earth, Amir Timur Gurgan”.
Shopping In Shahrisabz
There are several shopping complexes around the Ak-Saray Palace complex built specifically for tourists. You will get all sorts of clothing and memorabilia. I personally found the price out here to be on the expensive side as these were built specifically keeping tourists in mind.
Where To Eat At Shahrisabz
There are several eateries across the tourist complex. From small cafes to large restaurants this place has all the varieties. There was a language barrier but somehow managed.
Tips
There are separate tickets for Ak-Saray Palace, Museums, Dor Us-Siyodat Mausoleum & Dorut Tilavat. Please ensure you are given a physical receipt or ticket after paying. I found some places were taking the money and not issuing any tickets. Basically, they were pocketing all the money.
The whole tourist place stretches long from end to end so prepare to do some brisk walking to visit all the places.
This place is not frequented by many tourists thus the staff hardly speak a word of English. Use sign language and mobile app translators to communicate.
This region was way colder than Samarkand in summer so plan accordingly. The colder season can be a bit extremely cold here.
Location On Map
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