05/09 – Shahkrisabz

The day started with a three-hour bus ride into the country.  We are seeing more of a Third-World Uzbekistan today.  A lot of farming with lots of donkeys, goats and sheep, and hand work in the fields...

and lovely countryside. 

We eventually arrived in Shahkrisabz, birthplace of Tamarlane.  The walls around the palace complex were reconstructions.  And were massive.

The gate was absolutely massive…designed to impress and intimidate.  The restored gate was about 30 meters high.  Originally it was arched and almost twice as tall.

Some of the tilework on the gate walls was still in pretty good shape. 

Just inside the gate were pieces of original flooring tilework.  All of the tilework was beautiful.

The gate led into what was the palace complex but is now a massive garden...

with pools (currently not filled)and walks with lots of flowering plants and birds.

There was a large central plaza with a large statue of Tamerlane. 

There were also a few very large, random rocks placed around the grounds.  These had been found during excavations so were left in the complex.

We had lunch in a large building that used to be a caravansary. 

After lunch we visited the other main buildings in the complex, the Jahangirs Mausoleum,

The Shamsiddin Kulol Mausoleum,

The Kok-Gumbaz Mosque,

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More Kom Gum Baz Mosque
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the Khazrat Imam Mausoleum,

and the Amir Temurs Mausoleum.

There were other interesting buildings in the complex.

There was also an ancient maple tree, planted in the 14^th century

and a mulberry tree where some of the group spent some time picking and eating them.

Then it was an ice cream break (it was pretty hot today) before getting on the bus for a three-hour drive back to Samarkand.

This evening we took the bus back the area near the bazaar where we ate at a local outdoor restaurant. The food was great.

Handwashing stand.

Then we walked back to the Registan Madrasahs, which were beautifully lit.  

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Video of Registan Madrasahs
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