The iwan ceiling
Blue and gold.
Jean Housen — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Bobyrr — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Tuxtamuratova Dilnoza — CC0 · Jean Housen — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Akhemen — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Hasan Tohirov — CC BY-SA 4.0 · BeshevI — CC BY-SA 4.0 · MiklyxoMaklai — CC BY-SA 4.0
A hilltop mosque facing the Shah-i-Zinda complex, named after the Prophet Khidr and counted among Samarkand's oldest places of worship. The story goes that when Qutayba ibn Muslim's army took the city in 712 and tried to flood its fortress by damming its canal, a great white bird swooped from the sky and broke the dam, and one of his companions, Muhammad ibn Wasi', built a mosque on the spot by the southern gate of Afrasiyab. The Mongols destroyed the first mosque in 1220. The present building went up in 1854 on the old foundations, was decorated in 1884 and had its iwan rebuilt in 1899; in 1919 the Samarkand master Abduqodir bin Boqiy completed the portal and the eastern minaret. Its glory is the raised iwan on wooden columns, with a carved ceiling painted in blue, green and gold, looking over the old city, the Bibi-Khanym Mosque and Siyob Bazaar. In 2018 the mausoleum of Islam Karimov, Uzbekistan's first president, opened in the mosque grounds. The mosque is open to visitors; ask at the entrance about any fee. Dress modestly, and women cover their hair. It combines easily with Shah-i-Zinda and Siyob Bazaar.
Blue and gold.
Over Bibi-Khanym.
On the mosque.
On a hill facing Shah-i-Zinda, Samarkand
Siyob Bazaar, SamarkandSamarkand's largest bazaar, spreading over more than seven hectares in the old c4 minutes walk4.6
Bibi-Khanym MosqueOne of Samarkand's most important monuments and, in the 15th century, one of the5 minutes walk4.7
Shah-i-Zinda necropolisA complex of mausoleums and religious buildings in northeast Samarkand whose Per5 minutes walk4.7
Afrasiyab MuseumSamarkand's city history museum on the Afrasiyab mound, the site of the ancient 14 minutes walk4.2
Registan SquareThe historic square at the heart of Samarkand, centre of the Timurid Empire and 15 minutes walk4.7Legend says a white bird broke a dam built by Qutayba ibn Muslim's army in 712 and a mosque was raised on the spot; the present building dates from 1854.