Foto: The old palace of Timur (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Uzbekistan - Shahr-i Sabz – a city in Uzbekistan, Central Asia – was intended by Timur to become his capital in the 14th century. The town or village forms a rectangular enclosure surrounded by a wall about 4 km in circumference and up to 5 meters thick in places. The main ruins at the site are the monumental entrance to Timur’s palace (the Ak Saray, or “White Palace”) and the Dar al-Siyadat. Though not fully preserved, it is clear that the entrance arch was over 50 meters high and 22 meters wide, making it one of the largest gates in the Islamic world. The interior of the iwan and the flanking towers are decorated with light and dark blue glazed bricks, forming a geometric, carpet-like pattern that includes the names Allah, Mohammed, Ali, and Othman in large square Kufic script. Archaeological analysis of the site has shown that this gateway would have been preceded by a vast open square 70 to 80 meters long, emphasizing the immense scale of the building. Inside the entrance, the palace itself would have consisted of a large courtyard with a central pool and a public hall aligned with the entrance axis. The royal mausoleum, known as the Dar al-Siyadat, contained the tomb of Jahangir (with a tall domed roof) and the tomb intended for Timur himself (with a conical roof on a cruciform floor plan). Other preserved structures at the site include the baths and the bazaar. The bazaar consists of four main streets converging at a central intersection, covered by a dome.
Chorsu Bazaar in old Tashkent
Uzbekistan - I take a taxi to the Plov Center. Plov (or pilaf) is the national dish of Uzbekistan — a one-pot meal with rice and lamb. Uzbeks come to the Plov Center to eat plov for lunch. I sit down at a table and order a plate of plov. Then I continue to the old ...
Enchanting Khiva
Uzbekistan - The old town of Khiva is enclosed by a 10-meter-high mudbrick city wall. As I enter through the west gate, souvenir vendors are already lining up to sell me all kinds of items. Unfortunately for them, I’m not buying. I head for the 12th-century palace ...
Mosques and madrasas in Bukhara
Uzbekistan - Bukhara is best explored simply by walking around. The old city center is relatively small. Many of the squares around the bazaar are surrounded by old madrassas (Qur'anic schools). Some are still in use, others have been taken over by tourist vendors. ...
Samarkand Registan Square
Uzbekistan - When I arrive at Registan Square, it’s already busy with tourists. I walk onto the square. Immediately, a guard approaches me. “Ticket, ticket!” he says. I look around in surprise. Apparently, tourists need a ticket just to walk onto the square. ...