The city is located 90 km south to Samarkand, was once a major city of the Central Asia as Kesh.
Shakhrisabz was the birthplace of Timur on April 9, 1346, to the family of a minor local chief, and during the early years of the Timurid dynasty, enjoyed its considerable patronage. Timur regarded Shakhrisabz as his home town.
It is reticently identified with the ancient Nautica, Shahrisabz should be counted among Central Asia’s most ancient cities. Alexander the Great’s general Ptolemy captured the satrap of Bactria and pretender to the Persian throne, Bessus, at Nautica thus ending the once great Achaemenid Empire. Alexander the Great chose to spend his winters and met his wife Roxanna in the area in 328-327 BC.
You can see the remains of colossal palace – Ak Saray (White palace), ancient folklore and centuries old national applied arts during your visit.
Main Sights
Ak Saray Palace (White Palacelace) – Timur’s chronicler Sherif Eddin Ali Yezdi reported that the world has not seen a similar building before the point of which extends from earth to the height of heaven. The palace was founded in the hours predicted by astrology. Its construction was begun in 1380 after Temur’s conquest of Konye Urgench in Khorezm.
Dorus Saodat Complex – “repository of power”. This vast complex was the burial place of the ruling family and contained a prayer hall, a mosque and accomodation for the religious community and pilgrims. The main facade was decorated with white marble and the tomb of Temur is a masterpiece of art of this period. Dorus Saodat Complex dates from the same time as Ak-Saray. Construction works began in 1379.
Tomb of Jehangir – Jehangir was Timur’s eldest son who died at the age of 22. The mausoleum consists of a high square room with the arch on the axis. It dates circa 1360s. The mausoleum is also the resting place of Timur’s second son Umar Sheikh who was killed at the age of 29 during the siege of Kurd in Iran.
Crypt of Temur – discovered in 1963 in an underground room. The room is plain except of inscriptions from the Quran on the arches. In the middle of the room is a large stone casket with inscriptions about Temur. It is therefore supposed that the crypt was intended for him. Temur, however, is buried in the Gur Emir Mausoleum in Samarkand.
Dorut Tilavat – part of the remains of Temur’s memorial ensemble of burials and religious buildings. The buildings were erected mainly during the reign of Ulugbek. This complex contains the graves of Temur’s father Taragay and his spiritual tutor Sheikh Shamsaddin Kulyal.
Kok Gumbaz Mosque – was built in 1435 under the reign of Ulugbek opposite the mausoleum of Kulyal on the same axe. It is a large Friday mosque used for public prayers at Fridays. The name Kok Gumbaz means “blue dome
Gumbazi Seydon Mausoleum – This mausoleum was built by order of Ulegbek in 1437/38 – according to the inscriptions on the walls for his own descendants. The mausoleum contains several marble gravestones of the 15th to 17th cent. They mention names of seyids from Termiz and the monument was called Gumbazi Seydon (“Seyids’ Cupola”).
Nurata – The Thriving Center of Responsible Travelling.
Nurata was established as the ancient town Nur, in 327 BC by Alexander the Great. The remains of his castle in the south of the town are still to be seen today and the water supply structure that Alexander had set up is still partially used.
The settlement is also famous as a Muslim pilgrimage place. Muhammad Narshakhi, who wrote about the history of Bukhara in 943, provides information about the city Nur. The complex consists of a spring, a well, Friday mosque and a bathhouse. The round Friday mosque was constructed next to spring and has 40 columns. The 15 m diametric dome is one of the largest in Central Asia.
The Nurata Mountains top at just over 2000m. There are number of camp locations in the area that offer overnight in yurts. You can ride camels and horses as part of the programme in the camp. Visitors can enjoy view of manmade Lake Aidarkul or take healthy pleasure by swimming in saline waters of the lake.
