Samarkand – one of the most ancient cities of Uzbekistan according to the archaeological research, was founded in the VIII century BC. Samarkand was firstly mentioned by Alexander the Great, as Marakanda, during his campaigns in Central Asia.
For more than two thousand years, the city was the main centre of trade on the Silk Road route between China and Europe, as well as one of the main centres of the science of the medieval East.
In the 14-th century, Samarkand was the capital of the Empire of Tamerlane and the Timurid dynasty. Most of the architectural masterpieces of the city were built in this period.
Special architectural and cultural importance in the city has Registan square. This place is one of the main attractions of the country, thanks to the historical architectural ensemble of the three madrassahs, each of which has its own unique design. The square has existed for over 600 years, some of its buildings have been preserved in their original form since the 15-th century.
In the Samarkand region, much attention is paid to the development of certain types of tourist’s attractions, such as cultural and historical, eco and agro, gastronomic, extreme and other. In particular, ziyorat (religious) tourism occupies a special place. Such pilgrimage sites of Samarkand as Imam al-Bukhari and Shakhi Zinda memorial complexes are considered to be the most visited places.
