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Photo: Шухрат Саъдиев, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Named after the principal wife of Timur, this was erected after his capture of Delhi in 1399. But design was muddled and construction rushed, so for the next 150 years it had to be patched and mended as bits fell off, until it was given up as a lost cause. It actually stood for another 200 years before collapsing in 1897. It was rebuilt from 1974.
The Bibi-Khanym Mosque is one of the most important monuments of Samarkand, Uzbekistan. In the 15th century, it was one of the largest and most magnificent mosques in the Islamic world. It is considered a masterpiece of the Timurid Renaissance. By the mid-20th century, only a grandiose ruin of it still survived, but major parts of the mosque were restored during the Soviet period.
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This was built from 1855 over much earlier foundations: first was a Zoroastrian temple, then a mosque built in 712 but destroyed in Genghis Khan's invasion of 1220. Since 2018 it's also held the mausoleum of Islam Karimov (1938-2016), First President of Uzbekistan.
This is one of the two local active synagogues, opened in 1891. It was closed during the Soviet era and reopened after Uzbekistan gained independence.. Unlike the second synagogue, this is primarily attended by so-called Bukharian Jews, although it also has a separate Ashkenazi hall. Services are conducted in Bukhori, a Jewish-Tajik language. In the past, there were over 30 synagogues in this Jewish quarter, catering to various professions. The name of the synagogue translates to "dome". There are now only a few Jews left in the city. Since the 1970s (their flow increased in the 1980s and 1990s), they have mostly moved to Israel and the United States, as well as to Europe, Canada, and Australia.
Necropolis ranged over a small hill south of Afrosiab, named for the cousin of the Prophet Muhammad. The best structures are 14th-16th century, such as the Kusam-ibn-Abbas complex, the Turkan Ago Mausoleum, and Kazi Zade Rumi mausoleum. It remained in use into the 19th century. It can feel crowded, as the area you can visit is along a staircase thronged with tour groups.
This magnificent square is the defining image, not only of Samarkand but of the whole Silk Road. It became the city's main square from the 15th century, Timurid times, after Afrosiab was abandoned. It's lined by three madrasahs, all with grand portals and richly adorned. Ulugbek on the west side is the oldest madrasah, from 1417; its upper floor has been lost. Shirdor facing it on the east side was built from 1619; "Shir" means tiger, from the motif on its portal. Tilya-Kori on the north side was built from 1646 and was also the grand mosque; the name means "gilded". Each madrasah is set around a courtyard, with student lodgings and classrooms.
Al Matrudi (853-944 AD) was a theologian whose teachings underlie one of the major strands of Sunni Islam. His original mausoleum was destroyed in 1940 and this is a retro creation of 2000.
A large green park with a minimum of amenities and benches, not far from the Gur-e Emir Mausoleum. You will definitely pass through this park if you continue walking towards Registan Square. The park has many coniferous and chestnut trees. There is a spring and a monument to the two Tiger Guards of Samarkand.