Uzbekistan is one of those countries I discovered through one of my colleagues trips, before that I admit I had no idea but it took only a couple of photos for me to realize this would be an amazing country to visit. I am very glad I did and today I can say I fully recommend visiting Central Asia, with Samarkand being one of the highlights.

I´m a big fan of different types of architecture, but not surprisingly I have a weakness for any colourful building, temple, mosque, monument, house, etc.. you name it. If it´s decorated with bright colours, you got my attention!

Registan Square

The most famous place in Samarkand is Registan Square, the heart and stunning legacy of the Timurid empire era of Timur – Tamerlane. The first madrassah was built in 1417-1420, ordered by famous mathematician and astronomer Ulugh Beg, who was the heir of the state of the Temurids. Madrassah is a place to teach and learn, often I tend to associate it with religion but this is actually a broader term in Arabic and at that time this was a big place to teach also about astronomy, mathematics, philosophy and theology. The interior leading to the rooms for the students are usually as spectacular as the facade.

The madrassah directly in front of it was built 200 years later by Yalangtush Bahadur, emir of Samarkand at the time. It was renamed later as Sher-Dor (adorned with Tigers)

The third madrassah, Tiilla-Kori was finalized by 1660. This is the one with the richest decorations in gold and a very impressive mosque. Even though the 3 madrassah were built in different times, it was always the idea to keep the same architecture and sense of unity, there are some differences but it really gives the sense of one big complex that goes together. Nowadays, you can´t really tell the difference except the first one is a tiny shorter but it´s not so evident.

Light show at Registan square

One of the most memorable moments of my trip to Uzbekistan was the exact moment I reached Registan square, it was almost 10 pm and by the time I saw the square for the first time, a beautiful display of lights dancing to the rythtm of local music was decorating all the buildings. The fact that I was not expecting that made it all better, I felt like I was transported in time or I was in a movie due to the magnitude of it and the vibe colors all over the place. Travel tip: if you visit, make sure you walk around Registan Square between 9 pm and 10 pm to enjoy this spectacle!

Shah-i-Zinda complex

The Shai-i-Zinda as we see it today, was also built in different times from 11th to 15th, and 19th century. The most part was built in 14th-15th century so I guess it´s fair to keep this time reference 😉 These are basically mausoleums and a big part of that has to do with Timur the great relatives (aka Tamerlane) but also some other scientists, astronomers and aristocracy.

Personal stories and recommendations

Visually this is one of the most stunning places I have ever visited and it is absolutely a picture paradise. You don´t need to be a picture-freak (ehem.. lover) like me to go crazy with this place but if you are at least a little bit like me, you should make sure you have enough time to capture this place as much as you like. It is relatively small, the alleys are narrow and, in the event of many tourists, I could see it´s not so easy to get your perfect shots.

For reference, I visited by end of July which means the temperature in the middle of the day was +40 degrees, yet I was so excited and amazed that I didn´t care. Also, due to the position of the mausoleums facing each other with close distance, there is always a way to find a shade if you visit in the hottest months.

Fun fact for me; this visit was oddly not part of my official itinerary but I knew about this place and I used our “cooling break” as I called it, that time in the middle of the day where it was so insanely hot that it was recommended to stay at the hotel for couple of hours. However my crazy travelling battery is special, and surprisingly I can handle the most extreme circumstances, I can´t explain what it is but I do want to use every single minute 😉 And I´m so glad I did! as much as the fact that I had the company of a new friend during this trip.. greetings Angelique if you ever read this! 😉 My awesome me-pictures would not have been possible without you! I would say this very specific part of the trip is something we both shared!

Fun fact 2: While wearing dresses is not exactly my thing, I did spend couple of weekends back home searching for something to wear against this expected beautiful mosaics and tiles, I´m glad to say it was successful or at least my friends an family complimented me big time 😉 What I´m really trying to say is, if you know in advance you are travelling to places with jaw dropping and unique backgrounds to photograph, it pays off to think in advance what to wear. It´s a nice gift to ourselves and one of the best souvenirs you can get in the long run!

Islamic architecture: By the time I write this, this is not my first country where I see islamic architecture, but I´m still relative new to it and the scale and greatness you see here was surely new. The more I travel the more I learn to appreciate different religions and culture. It sounds cliche.. yes.. but it´s absolutely true! Sometimes I think it´s because it´s just so different to anything I would see in my home country Mexico, that I find it extremely interesting and I don´t get bored of such beautiful mosques you can find in muslim countries. I know in some countries you cannot visit if you are not muslim, here I had no problem as long as you are dressed properly, and just like any other religion you can tell some architectural differences by country. Uzbekistan at least is all about beautiful colors and design, outside and in the interiors. I loved it!

My time in Samarkand was rather short, but it was surely the highlight of my Central Asia trip at least for the type of things I like to see. It is always subjective but I would still say, definitely give it an opportunity! Or if you must choose one country or even one place from the region, I vote for Uzbekistan and Samarkand! It is friendly for tourists and I felt safe the entire time

More of Uzbekistan in other blogs 😉