SAMARKAND - GREAT TIMURS CAPITAL

Afrasiab - mound of ancient Samarkand, where for many centuries have accumulated 10-15-meter column of archaeological strata. This is a great hilly plateau area of more than two square kilometers situated on the outskirts of modern Samarkand. The name "Afrasiab" in science is identified with the name of the legendary ruler-tyrant, the ruler of the Central Asian nomads, who lived over 2000 years ago. However, the mound is also mentioned in connection with the conquests of Alexander of Macedon, then, was it even older. According to the chroniclers, Afrasiab existed "since the days of ignorance.

Samarkand - a contemporary of ancient Rome: the age of its culture dates back to the lower layers of the I millennium BC, that they harbor remnants Marakanda - the main city of the ancient country of Sogd largely mysterious even today. This stronghold of the army of Alexander of Macedon attacked in the IV century BC, but here the main events of the fight proceeded Sogdians headed Spitamen.

His heyday antique Marchanda reaches I-III centuries, when Sogdiana was part of the Kushan Empire. The boundaries of the city then grew beyond Marakanda time the military campaigns of Alexander of Macedon, but the crisis of the slave system in Central Asia led again to reduce the area of the city. In VI-VII centuries, with the beginning feudalization countries around Marakanda There are hundreds of castles dihkan - petty knights, but the core of the city remains at the old place.

Many remember the bloody events Afrasiab, but at the very beginning of the XIII century Mongol invasion interrupted the peaceful life of Central Asia, were destroyed by the city and destroyed many monuments of art and material culture. Forces of Genghis Khan Afrasiab was razed to the ground so that the surface is left absolutely nothing: the city walls were razed, palaces and houses were burned, the famous water pipe, which for several centuries, poured water into the citadel, destroyed.

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timurs Capital»

Where once rustled gardens zavoroshilis sand dunes . . .

However, the city is not dead. Moreover, at the turn of the XIV-XV centuries, began its new prosperity. This happened during the reign of the great conqueror Timur (Tamerlane), who decided to make Afrasiab-Samarkand the capital of his empire. Ruy Gonzalez de Clavijo, the Spanish ambassador at the court of Timur, Samarkand so fascinated that he wrote a book about him: "Timur in every way like to glorify the city. No matter what country he neither won and neither conquered, he brought people from everywhere, that they lived in the city. Especially he tried to collect artists in various trades.

Now from here, from Samarkand, the fate of peoples and countries are exceptional flourished crafts and art. Timur wanted to make his capital impossibly beautiful and ambitious, superior to all other cities in the world. Therefore, the villages around Samarkand received new names and henceforth was called as follows: Baghdad, Damascus, Cairo - the greatest cities of the world must have seemed villages compared to the new capital of Tamerlane. Around 13 gardens of Samarkand noise, the largest of them was so extensive that one day (we are told the ancient chronicles) where the horse was lost and its architect were looking for a whole month.

The architectural ensemble of Samarkand, which ran from Iron Gate to the east in the form of the street, was rebuilt on the sides of special occasions tombs and religious buildings. On the outskirts of Samarkand, on the hillside Afrosiyab spread Shahi-Zinda mausoleums. This magical street no one planned or designed, the group has emerged on its own, and built it hundreds of years - a mausoleum after the other. "Shahi Zinda" means "live the king", whose cult existed long before the arrival of Islam here.

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timurs Capital»

During the heyday of the cult Afrasiab this was so great that the preachers of Islam do not have to fight them. Using it for the glory of the new religion, they created a legend of the Kuusamo Muhammad ibn Abbas - the cousin of the Prophet.

An ancient legend tells that once the army of Mohammed Kusama was caught "infidels" in the holy moment, when all the warriors namaz. "Bad" benefited from their temporary deactivation and all hacked. Was left without a head and himself Mohammed Kusam, however, and having lost his head, he kept his head: he took his head in his hands and went into a deep well, through which took place in paradise. Many heroes tried to come down later in this well to learn the secrets of the beheaded king.

And although, as established scholars, Mohammed Kusam in Samarkand has never been, his tomb became the first mausoleum complex of Shahi Zinda. Now Mazar Mohammed Kusama is surrounded by other mausoleums, but they are close. Burial near the grave of the great saint provides benefits in the other world, so many great men and mullahs want their tombs were as close to the tomb of Mohammed Kusama. It has long been no iron gate, behind which once rose two immense buildings - cathedral mosque of Timur and the stood in front of madrassas Saray Mulk Khanum, was left only the ruins of the mausoleum, which is popularly associated with the name of the legendary Bibi Khanum.

We Timur had many wives, but only one favorite - beautiful Bibi Khanum. The great master was back in march, when she collected the best architects of Samarkand, which in an hour, these stars have begun to erect the mosque.

Mosques young architect, who, captivated by the beauty Bibi Khanum, was the victim of the insane and unrequited love.

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timurs Capital»

Already shine beautiful glaze slender walls of the mosque, the dome has been competing with her vault, leaving only close the arch of the portal . . . But the lingering love architect, since the end of the work means a separation from the Bibi Khanum.

And yet, in Samarkand in a hurry messenger with the news of the return of the great Timur, and hastens Bibi Khanum complete the work. Architect agrees only for the daring award - a kiss beauty. What could I do? And Bibi Khanum allowed to kiss itself only through the application to the cheek pillow. But the kiss was so enamored of the architect passionate and hot as a pillow was imprinted on the cheek of beauty.

Arriving in Samarkand, Timur menacing with admiration considered building a mosque. However, throwing a light veil from the face of his wife, he saw the mark on her cheek. Raging Timur asked to name the culprit, when rushed to search for the architect, who was waiting for imminent death, he climbed to the top of the minaret and the pre-made wings flew to Mashhad . . .

Timur himself is buried in the mausoleum of Gur-Emir, which is located near a small pond on the Registan Square. First, the Gur-Emir was intended for the burial of Mohamed Sultan - the beloved grandson of Tamerlane, but is now buried here himself Timur, his sons and another grandchild - the great medieval scholar Ulugbek, where the mausoleum and turned into a family tomb of Tamerlane. Blue ribbed dome of the mausoleum rises to a height of 40 meters, wooden doors inlaid with ivory are in the front hall . . . The rays of the sun, breaking through the marble lattice strips lie on eight tombstones, graves themselves are at the bottom - in the dungeon.

Central area of old Samarkand is the Registan to her from all sides approach streets, radiating cross the territory of the Old City.

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timurs Capital»

In ancient times through the area flowed a powerful channel that left a lot of sand deposits. Sandy sediment, probably gave the name of this place, because "Registan" literally means "place of sand", "sand field".

Until the XV century Registan was a major trade, industrial area, but then its value as the market has receded into the background. When Ulugbek Khan, who was the ruler of Samarkand from 1409 to 1447, becoming the Registan Square parade, official: there were a solemn review of the troops, proclaimed Khan′s orders, etc.

Now Samarkand Registan rise three Madrassah: two of them (Shir-Dor and Tilla-Kari) were built in the XVII century, and the third is erected in the XV century - during the life of Ulugbek. Historical Chronicle reported that it was part of the madrassa interesting, but not extant group of monumental buildings that were erected around the Registan Square. Instead madrasas, on the other side of the square, was built hanaka - hospice for the dervishes. According to Sultan Babur, who visited Samarkand in the XVI century, Khanaka famous for its majestic dome, which was "of such colossal proportions that . . . he has no equal in the whole world. " However hanaka destroyed fairly soon, and in its place built a madrasa Shir Dor.

According to the ancient descriptions, south of the madrassas Ulugbek was building the main mosque in Samarkand, erected in the means of the influential and wealthy nobleman Alyx-Kukeltasha. Not far from it were lined baths, are the best and beautiful not only in the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers, but throughout Khorasan. They were called "baths Mirza, and their main attraction was the floor, lined from various types of stone.

Medressa began to build in 1420 on the instructions of the scientist.

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timurs Capital»

Rectangular building with four towers, minarets at the corners, it had a large square courtyard, on all sides of which were located hujra (quarters). Medressa with its rich architectural decoration, magnificent mosaics, ornaments and geometric images of the starry sky on timbrels main portal was a true temple of science. Now, entering the arch of the portal from the area, it is necessary to descend a few steps down. However, the construction of madrasas surface Registan Square was different: half of the arch of the portal is above the square, and on it, on the contrary, had to climb several steps of the wide staircase.

But time has not spared this magnificent building: disappeared hujra second floors, crown portals and minarets, domes raised on drums darshana - all heavily distorted proportions of high-rise madrassas. Nevertheless, even an inexperienced eye feels amazing proportionality of all its parts and the haughty elegance of proportions.

During the Ulugbeg Samarkand was the center of scientific life in Central Asia, here would come the famous mathematicians, astronomers, historians . . . In the madrasas, for which Ulugbek personally selected the teachers, and his observatory scientists touched the mysteries of science. Merchants and artisans, pilgrims and poets, pilgrims and diplomats - all work here, all roads lead to "pearl of the world" - the sparkling city of Samarkand.