A must-visit list of incredible Silk Road sights in Uzbekistan

Desert citadels, crumbling mud fortresses, mosaic-adorned medressas and busy market bazaars. For many centuries, the Silk Road was the world’s superhighway, and Uzbekistan was at its very heart.

After maritime and later air trade overtook the land, the Silk Road gradually fell out of use. The countries and cultures of Central Asia languished for decades under Soviet rule, all but lost to travellers and the undulations of international commerce.

Uzbekistan is home to some of the most awe-inspiring ancient Silk Road sights © Gusamutdinov / Shutterstock

But in recent years, Central Asia has begun to reopen its doors to a new breed of travellers wanting to rediscover the lost beauty of the Silk Road. Many of the top sights of the Silk Road are to be found in Uzbekistan, which served as a central crossroads for traders and travellers plying the routes between the Far East and Europe, Persia and North Africa.

For anyone curious about the beginnings of international commerce, and with it the spread of religious ideas, art, language and culture, a visit to this newly reopening country is a must. Here are Uzbekistan’s top Silk Road sights.

The Registan in Samarkand has been the centre of Silk Road trade for centuries © MehmetO / Shutterstock

Samarkand

The Registan

The most awe-inspiring sight in Central Asia is Samarkand’s Registan: a central square flanked by the most ornately tiled, mosaic-clad medressas (historic Islamic schools) that glitter at dawn and dusk in shades of the Silk Road: azure, lapis lazuli, indigo, gold. The larger-than-life architectural gems were built during the Timurid dynasty, from the 1400s-1600s, though before that this served as a medieval bazaar that was, quite literally, a crossroads at the centre of the world.

Gur-e-Amir

It’s impossible to get a full understanding of the Silk Road’s incredible size and history without understanding its most far-reaching and successful empire: that of Timur (1336-1405), sometimes known as Tamerlane. The emperor’s final resting place, the Gur-e-Amir, is one of the most beautiful sights on the Silk Road: a gilded mausoleum with golden-hued domes and sparkling mosaics. Want travel to Uzbekistan? Visit our site https://en.canaan.travel

The Shah-i-Zinda necropolis boasts some of the most stunning examples of Silk Road architecture and mosaics © Megan Eaves / Lonely Planet

Shah-i-Zinda

Not only is this avenue of mausoleums one of the most moving and beautiful Islamic sights in the world, it is also one of the best places to see firsthand the movement of artistic and architectural influences along the Silk Road. The Shah-i-Zinda's tilework is a spectacular combination of Persian, Central Asian and East Asian influences.