Shakhrisabz

Shakhrisabz

Shakhrisabz the meaning “green city” was founded at VII c. B.C. During its long history, this green city changed name several times. Shakhrisabz was "Gava Sugda" the city of Sogd, "Nautaka" new city, "Kesh" – soul amusing city.XIV-XV centuries, Amir Temur and Ulugbek`s period was the golden era of the city and it received its actual name. During this period the town has received a name "Qubbatul ilm val adab"(The dome of science). The city is located in 658 meters above sea level. The population is 90 000 people.

Aksaray Palace

In the north-eastern part of Shakhrisabz there was palace complex, which included the area of the palace Ak-Saray (White palace), and well planned garden. Nowadays we can only see the ruins of the portal entrance. The palace was built from 1380 till 1404, then after the end of the construction Timur ordered to transport his throne to Aksaray. Modern ruins reach the altitude about 30 meters, but the original height could be twice higher. This magnificent pearl of Timuri`s period was destroyed at XVI c. by Uzbek governor Abdullakhan II who wanted to delete the traces of overthrown dynasty of Timurids who controlled connecting Orient with Occident commercial Silk Road.

Dorus Siadat

Dorus-Siadat “The habitation of power and strength” was built from 1380 till 1404. It consists of Jahanguir mausoleum, Timur`s mausoleum and a mosque Khazrat Imam. The mausoleum of Jahanguir is a monumental building covered with conic dome built for the honor of elder son of Timur who died very young, when he was only 20 years. The second son of Timur Omar Shaykh was also buried there in 1394. The architectural analog of this complex the tourists can find in Turkestan southern Kazakhstan around the mausoleum of great Sufi, founder of Yassawiya brotherhood - Ahmed Yassawi, which was built also by the order of Timur. The tomb of Tamerlane is one of the most luxurious crypts in Central Asian architecture, but it is empty as he was buried in Samarkand.

Dorut Tilovat

Dorut Tilovat (The habitation of Reflection and Contemplation) is also a memorial of Timurids period. It consists of the mausoleum of Sufi Sheikh Shamsutdin Kulal, Ulugbeg`s Friday mosque and the mausoleum Gumbazi Sayidon. The formation of this complex is associated with the name of famous local Sufi Sheikh Shamsutdin Kulal. He was in a big post during the period of Timurids dynasty, at the same time he was a spiritual teacher of Timur`s father whose name was Amir Taraghay. Kulal became a pir spiritual teacher for Sufis in southern regions. He passed away in 1370/71 and was buried in this complex. Friday mosque Kok Gumbaz “Blue Dome” was built in 1435 by the order Ulugbeg. In 1437 Ulugbegh ordered to build near Kulal`s mausoleum, a mausoleum for the Sayids who are considered like descendants of prophet Mohammed. That`s why the mausoleum received the name Gumbazi Sayidon (The Dome of Sayids). In neighboring city called Kitab there the tombs of great Sufis Darvish Muhammad as Samarqandi and of his son Khodja al-Amkanaki who were 21 st and 22 nd the representatives of Naqshbandiya chain.

Katta Langar

At 70 kilometers from Shahrisabz there is a unique memorial complex Katta Langar, that means (Large anchor). Sufi brotherhood Ishkiya settled about five hundred years ago there. The brotherhood Ishkiya ( 'ishq' means love to Allah), an offshoot of the famous Sufi brotherhood Tayfur, got its name in the VIII century, the name of the founder of the brotherhood of noble inhabitant of Mecca Baba Ishki. There is a mosque built in 1515 by order of Sufi Muhammad Sadiq, head of the Sufi Order Ishkiya. Near the mosque there is a dynastic sepulture of Ishkiya sheikhs made in ascetic style. Inside of the mausoleum there are the tombs Sheikhzade Muhammad Sadiq, his father Sheikhzade Abul-Hassan II and his son Abdul-Hussein Akhund.