Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Necropolis in Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Shah-i-Zinda, Persian for the Living King, is a historic necropolis on a hillside south of Afrasiab in north-east Samarkand, built around the shrine of Qutham ibn Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad who came to Samarkand with the Arab conquest in the 7th century. Legend says he never died, which gives the place its name. The ensemble grew over eight centuries, from the 11th to the 19th, and now counts more than twenty buildings in lower, middle and upper groups linked by a narrow lane and a long staircase lined with tombs. Most date from the 14th and 15th centuries, when Timur, his family and commanders buried their relatives here; among the finest are the mausoleums of Tuman Aka, Shirin Beka Aka, Timur's sister, and the astronomer Qazi Zada Rumi. What sets Shah-i-Zinda apart is the quality of its decoration, among the best of its age: carved and glazed tiles in countless shades of blue and turquoise, with plant motifs and delicate Arabic calligraphy, changing colour as the sun moves along the lane.
It is a cemetery and shrine: visit quietly in modest dress, and women cover their hair to enter the main shrine. Go at opening time, as the lane fills with groups after 9:00. Allow an hour to an hour and a half. The opening staircase is steep; local custom says to count the steps going up and down. Combine it with the Hazrat Khizr Mosque and Bibi-Khanym on foot.
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: en.wikipedia.org
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