Hazrat Hizr Mosque— named in honor of a mythical saint, travelers have a good view of old town from the top. There have been several buildings on this site. It was first a Zoroastrian temple, but was sacked and converted into a mosque soon after the Arab invasion. The present mosque dates from 1854 and has finely painted ceilings and plasterwork. Atop there is mausoleum of the first President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Local Siab market (“black river” in Uzbek). Travelers can find in this market spices, fresh and dry fruits and different souvenirs

Bibi Hanim mosque XV century. The mosque was built in honour of Temur’s chief wife, Saray Mulk Khanum.

Rukhobod Mausoleum— Samarkand’s oldest surviving monument. Built by Amir Temur in 1380, this simple, cream stone structure marks the burial place of Sheikh Byrhan ad Din Sagarji, a Sufi preacher who spread the message of Islam from Asia to India and was mentioned by the Arabic traveler Ibn Battuta after they met in the 1340s.

Gur-Amir mausoleum (“the tomb of the king” in Uzbek) from XV century.

Registan square (“sandy place” in Uzbek) from XV-XVII centuries. A spectacular architectural ensembles, with fantastic Islamic designs and calligraphy etched into the facades of its mosques and madrassahs.