Samarkand travel guide — Samarkand tourism and travel information

Samarkand travel guide

about Samarkand

Samarkand (Samarqand or Самарқанд in Uzbek) (population 400,000) is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan, capital of the Samarkand region (Samarqand Wiloyati).

Samarkand history

The city of Samarkand was founded prior to the 3rd millennium BCE. During most of its history it was a part of the Persian Empire.

Lying on the trade routes (silk road) between China and the Middle East, Samarkand prospered. At times in its history Samarkand has been the greatest city of Central Asia. Alexander the Great captured the town in 329 BC.

Under Arab rule (from the 7th century CE), the city flourished as a trade center until the devastation of the city by the Mongols led by Genghis Khan (1220).

Timur (Tamerlane) (1336 - 1405) was born at Kesh, situated some 50 miles south of Samarkand. Upon taking power as a chieftain, Timur rebuilt the city to its former glory. Samarkand became the capital of his empire, which extended from India to Turkey. In 1404 Timur ordered the mausoleum called Guri-Emir ("Tomb of the Emir") for his beloved grandson, Mukhammad Sultan. The mausoleum became the burial site of the Timurid dynasty

Ulugh Beg, grandson of Timur, became the shah's governor in Samarkand in 1409 and ruled the country for 40 years. In Samarkand Ulugbek created a scientific school, which united outstanding astronomers and mathematicians. At Ulugbek's observatory (built 1428 1429) there was a gigantic but precisely made marble sextant there, with a radius of 40.212 meters. The length of the arc is 63 meters.

In 1868, the city came under Russian rule, and it became the capital of the Uzbek SSR in 1925 before being replaced by Tashkent. Samarkand is one of the largest Persian-speaking cities of Central Asia and an important center of the Iranian architecture.

Near cities to Samarkand

• Bukhara travel guide 200 km
• Dushanbe travel guide 210 km
• Tashkent travel guide 280 km
• Kulyab travel guide 320 km
• Isfara travel guide 330 km
• Mazar travel guide 330 km
• Koksetau travel guide 350 km
• Kokand travel guide 370 km
• Aktobe travel guide 400 km
• Fergana travel guide 430 km

Near webcams to Samarkand

• Boston webcam 460 km
• Ithaca - Cornell webcam 870 km
• Detroit webcam 1 400 km
• Tehran webcam 1 400 km
• Karachi webcam 1 600 km
• Bamberg - Altes Rathaus webcam 1 700 km
• Jerevan webcam 1 900 km
• Dubai webcam 1 900 km
• Dubai webcam 1 900 km
• Dubai webcam 1 900 km

back to top

Samarkand travel services

cheap flights to Samarkand

• book cheap flights to Samarkand »
• book cheap flights to Uzbekistan »

City Travel Guide is exclusive partner of four main cheap airline tickets and cheap flights online booking systems. We are happy to offer cheap airline tickets Samarkand, cheap flights Samarkand, also available cheap airline tickets to Uzbekistan and to the whole world. Up to date cheap flights Samarkand deals also available.

cheap Samarkand hotels

• book cheap hotels to Samarkand »
• book cheap hotels to Uzbekistan »

City Travel Guide is exclusive partner of main cheap hotels and accommodation online booking systems. We are happy to offer cheap hotels in Samarkand, Uzbekistan hotel guide and cheap hotels and accommodation in lot of other world-wide destinations. Up to date cheap Samarkand hotel deals and discount accommodation tips also available.

cheap Samarkand vacations

• book Samarkand vacations »
• book Uzbekistan vacations »

City Travel Guide is exclusive partner of main cheap vacations online booking systems. We are happy to offer cheap vacations in Samarkand, Uzbekistan vacation rentals and cheap vacations in lot of other destinations world-wide. Up to date Samarkand vacation deals also available.

cheap car rentals in Samarkand

• book cheap car rental in Samarkand »
• book cheap car rentals in Uzbekistan »

City Travel Guide is exclusive partner of main car rentals online booking systems. We are happy to offer car rentals in Samarkand, car hire in Uzbekistan and cheap car rental in lot other world-wide destinations. Up to date cheap Samarkand car hire deals also available.

Samarkand travel insurance

• Samarkand cheap travel insurance »
• cheap travel insurance for Uzbekistan »

City Travel Guide is exclusive partner of Essential Travel Ltd., leading online travel insurance company, we can offer you health travel insurance for Samarkand, accident health Samarkand travel insurance, all using our online Samarkand travel insurance form. We also offer travel insurance for other cities in Uzbekistan. This offer is available for UK residents only.

Samarkand real estate

• Samarkand real estate guide »
• real estate listings in Uzbekistan »

City Travel Guide comes with Samarkand real estate guide with several tips on home valuation, realtors comparison, secrets on finding the "right" home, loans guide and other helpful real estate advices. Our partners also maintain Samarkand property for sale and rental listings, real estate laws and reviews. We will try to help you with buying property in Uzbekistan, choosing real estate agents, property finders, relocation help, and information for English speakers wanting to buy real estate in Samarkand.

back to top

Samarkand travel books

Samarkand travel guide books

• Samarkand travel guide books »
• Uzbekistan travel guide books »

Samarkand maps and atlases

• Samarkand maps and atlases »
• Uzbekistan maps and atlases »

back to top