It was many centuries ago that Samarkand, located on the trade caravan routes, became one of the centers of ancient civilization that would serve as the model of historical and cultural traditions the Central Asian peoples.
The magnetic force of Samarkand is great. One cannot deny the fact that there are very few towns in the world that are more than twenty five centuries old, that attract people by its beauty and unique appeareance the way that Samarkand does. Associated with Samarkand are the names of such great figures as Alexander the Great, the Arab commander Kuteiba ibn Muslim, who once captured the town in battle, the ferocious Genghis - Khan, who turned the town into ruins, and Tamerlane, who created the massive empire that streched from the Volga to Ganges, from the Tien - Shan mountains to Bosfor. Everyone who visits the town admires the high level of skill and artistic talent of the ancient architects who created such architectural wonders as the Shahi - Zinda ensemble, the BUM - Khanym mosque, and Our-Emir and Shirat-Khana mausoleums. The heart of old Samarkand is surrounded by grand buildings from three sides: Registan Square, which attracts great attention and is considered to be the jewel of the town, the Ulugbek madrasa, and the Sherdor and Tillya -Kari madrasas.
