The Legend Of The Silk Road - This Is the Ancient City Of Samarkand

The ancient Silk Road city of Samarkand has long drawn travellers, traders and tyrants to its gates.

For centuries this Central Asian city has been a real crossroads, a stopping point on the trade networks of the old Silk Road where east meets west in the dry deserts of Uzbekistan.

The legendary name of Samarkand conjures images of the orient, of grand minarets, city walls and ancient civilizations, and this rich history is what first drew me to the city.

Travelling through Uzbekistan, I was tracing a path through the ancient trade networks, connecting dots on maps that have altered little since the days of Genghis Khan, with only the names of the nations calling sovereignty over the city changing. Samarkand’s history extends back through countless civilizations. It’s one of the oldest inhabited cities in Asia and countless rulers from Alexander the Great through to the Soviets have marched through its gates.

After crossing the deserts of Karakalpakstan from the West of Uzbekistan, I passed through the other Silk Road cities of Khiva and Bukhara, before finally arriving in Samarkand.

The city is awash with historic, Islamic inspired buildings, many of which are intricately maintained and proudly restored to their former glory. Samarkand’s most infamous ruler was the merciless Tamerlane, a 14th Century descendent of Genghis Khan who ruled much of Central Asia and built the towering structures I found dominating the skyline to this day.

The centre of Samarkand revolves around the Registan, an inspiring and colourful Islamic Madrassa- a place of learning- built by Tamerlane. The architecture is classic Silk Road, with intricate designs, motifs and inscriptions inside and out.

I found the centre comprised of beautiful buildings and full of history. But more than this, it was the people of Samarkand that really made my trip. While I was fascinated by the Silk Road history and architecture, it was the locals that really showed me real, modern life in Samarkand.

Walking the Registan, I was approached by local University students eager to practice their English with one of the few foreign tourists in Uzbekistan. They became my informal guides to their home city, showing me both the best of the city’s ancient history while guiding me through bustling local markets and into local eateries, all the while proudly explaining Uzbekistan’s history, culture, languages and diverse people.

All words and photos by Richard Collett!