نظرة عامة
Samarkand (ancient Maracanda) sits in the Zeravshan Valley of modern Uzbekistan. An Iron Age and Sogdian centre conquered by Alexander, it later flourished under Sogdian merchants before Mongol destruction in 1220. Timur (Tamerlane) made Samarkand his capital in the late 14th century; his grandson Ulugh Beg built a madrasa and observatory that made the city a scientific as well as dynastic stage. The Registan square — Ulugh Beg Madrasa (1417–21), Sher-Dor (1619–36), and Tilya-Kori (17th century) — forms the postcard ensemble of turquoise domes and pishtaq façades.
Beyond the Registan, the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Gur-e-Amir mausoleum, and Shah-i-Zinda necropolis preserve Timurid brick and tile craft at imperial scale. UNESCO inscribed the Historic Town of Samarkand in 2001. Pair with Merv and Jiaohe for earlier Silk Road urbanisms further east and west.