Registon Square

Registon is the majestic central square of Samarkand city in Uzbekistan. This place is the main attraction of the country, thanks to the unique architectural ensemble of three madrasas (schools). The square has existed for more than 600 years, some of its buildings have been preserved in their original form since the XV century. Registan is located in the heart of the old part of Samarkand, all major roads of the city lead here. Every year thousands of tourists come to Uzbekistan, wishing to see the pearl of the Middle East with their own eyes.

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History and origin of the name

The word “Registan” translates from Uzbek as “place covered with sand” – in ancient times in the Middle East this was the name of any central square of a city. During Tamerlane’s reign, it was here that soldiers gathered before going on campaign. Probably, the central square was also the place where the ruler’s decrees were read out. Every day trade was boiling on Registan, as Samarkand was one of the most important cities from the very foundation of the Silk Road.”

Mirzo Ulugbek, who was Tamerlan’s grandson, became not only a ruler but also a patron of sciences. He himself had a brilliant education and did his best to develop the culture of his country. By order of Ulugbek in the beginning of XV century the first madrasah named in honor of the patron began to be built on the square. Since that time, the global construction of Registan, which brought Samarkand world fame and a place in the list of UNESCO sights, has been counted down.

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It is believed that from ancient times until the twentieth century, public executions of criminals were held here. It is said that Registan Square was specially sprinkled with sand so that it would absorb the blood of the victims without damaging the beautiful sidewalk. However, there is no reliable historical evidence of this today. Interestingly, in 1989, the Soviet Union issued a commemorative five-ruble coin, on which a view of Registan was minted.

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Ulugbek Madrasah

Ulugbek Madrasah is the oldest madrasah built on Registan Square. Its construction took only three years: from 1417 to 1420. A mosque and a large observatory were organized on the territory of the school, which made the city one of the most important scientific centers of the East at that time. The ensemble is located on the western side of the vast square. Opposite the madrasah, Ulugbek’s caravanserai, as well as his khanaka, were erected in later years.

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The high rectangular facade and lancet arch of the building are made in the best traditions of medieval architecture of the Middle East. Golden painted walls in bright sunlight play with complex mosaics, the main geometric ornament is made of colored glazed bricks. The portal itself is decorated with filigree ligature, “Islimi” patterns and ten-pointed stars. All of this is evidence of the scientific orientation of the complex.

From each corner of the rectangular ensemble of minarets rush into the sky. Only half of them have survived to this day, as two towers were destroyed by an earthquake around the XVIII century. The blue domes of the madrasah strike the imagination with their pure color and bright glow regardless of the time of day. Thanks to the rich wall cladding, bright patterns in blue colors, the whole building does not look bulky. Carved and watered ceramics are distinguished by a harmonious color palette. As the glaze and ornaments completely cover the walls, the whole madrasah shines brightly in the light of the hot midday sun, being a real decoration of the Registan.

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The cells of the students, as well as the doors of the classrooms, open into a closed square courtyard. Here young people were taught astronomy, theology, philosophy, mathematics and various natural sciences. Simultaneously in madrasah could study and live more than hundred students. The best scientists in the country worked and taught at the school. Ulugbek also gave lectures to students, but he decided not to take the position of rector. It is believed that the famous oriental philosopher, poet and scientist Abdurahman Jami studied here.

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The school began to decline after the new ruler moved the capital of the state to Bukhara in the 16th century. Some sources of the time say: Samarkand became so desolate that wild animals lived in the walls of the crumbling madrasas. Numerous feudal wars of that time turned the once glorious architectural complex practically into ruins. Ulugbek’s madrasah survived to this day only thanks to a large-scale restoration in the early 20th century.

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Sher-Dor Madrasah

The Sher-Dor Madrasah is also called the “lion” school, as the walls are decorated with the corresponding animal ornamentation. The madrasah is located in the eastern part of the Registan, opposite the first building of the square and largely repeats its architecture. Such copying is not accidental – the author of the project deliberately used a special technique called “kosh”, characteristic of the eastern tradition. The construction was started in 1619 on the place of the previously erected khanaka. Ulugbek’s former residence provided most of the building material for the new school.

The architect intended to create a mirror copy of the first madrasa, but did not take into account that the overall level of Registan had risen over the decades. For this reason, the structure seems somewhat more squat than originally planned. The customer of the second school was Khan Bahadur. Initially the building was named after him, but for some reason it did not take root, giving way to the popular Sher-Dor.

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The modern nickname of the madrasah translates to “decoration with tigers/lions”. It was given to the building for the magnificent ornament with which the central arch is decorated. The pattern depicts two predators following graceful fallow deer. On the backs of each tiger rests a solar disk. The pompousness of this construction is almost equal to that built by Ulugbek. The walls of the architectural ensemble are covered with glazed mosaics, paintings, quotations from the Koran, here you will see rich ornaments, abundance of gilding. A solar swastika is painted in the middle above the central entrance.

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The madrasah was built by new technologies, but some violation of proportions in the future provoked the destruction of the main dome. The architects’ developments were supposed to simplify and speed up the construction, but it was not finished until 1636. Although this school was not inferior to Ulugbek’s construction in terms of occupied area, it could house and educate far fewer students – only about 40. In terms of knowledge and prestige, Sher-Dor was still valued less than the first major madrasah. By the 20th century, this ensemble on Registan Square required no less large-scale restoration works.

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Tillya-Kari Madrasah

The name translates as “Gilded School”. The construction of the educational institution began in the middle of the 17th century on the southern side of the Registan. The initiator and sponsor of the new madrasa was the same Khan Bahadur. The latter ensemble was erected on the site of Ulugbek’s caravanserai, using not only the bricks of the old building, but also the remains of its foundation. As both mosques of Samarkand were destroyed by the beginning of construction, the khan decided to combine the madrasah and a place for city worship.

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The architects worked on Tillya-Kari for about 14 years, finishing only after the ruler’s death. For this reason, the final finish is less rich, and some carelessness of the builders is felt in the decoration. In addition, the madrasah turned out to be less large, so it successfully balances the composition of two more luxurious buildings on Registan Square.

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The facade of the building is clearly divided into two floors, there are two main entrances, equipped in a deep lancet arch. On the left side you can see a large shining dome of the mosque of blue color. On the sides of the facade rise exquisitely finished minarets. The corner parts are occupied by guldasta – oriental towers with round domes. The exterior is dominated by gold colors and paintings in the style of “Kundal”, thanks to which the madrasah and received its name.

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In addition to the traditional knitting and geometric ornaments here you can see a lot of plant motifs. Such decor successfully dilutes the spectacular, but still very similar buildings of the other two educational institutions. Soon after the construction was completed, an earthquake in the city destroyed the main dome of Tilla-Kari. This element and many other parts of the school had to wait to be rebuilt until the 20th century.

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Other structures of the square

Behind Tilla-Kari, on the eastern side, is the Sheibanid Mausoleum. This architectural site looks more like a cluster of tombstones than an organized series of burials. The oldest of them dates back to the XVI century, where the founder of the ruling dynasty Mohammed Sheibani probably rests. Today, tourists are free to visit this place at any time of the day.

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For a long time, trade was the main source of Samarkand’s wealth. The main evidence of the former merchant glory is the Trade Dome (Chorsu), which is located on Registan Square behind the Sher-Dor Madrasah. This building was erected in the XV century, but was subjected to major restoration in the XVIII and XX centuries. In 2005, during the cleaning of the building, a three-meter layer of dirt was removed from the dome. It was once a marketplace, but today Chorsu is home to a contemporary art gallery. A visit to this exhibition should definitely be included in the tourist program in Samarkand.

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Modern Registan

Today’s appearance of this magnificent square Uzbekistan owes much to the USSR authorities, who initiated the restoration of cultural monuments, but even after the construction of madrassas were closed for religious instruction and all other activities. The global reconstruction of Registan was completed shortly before the collapse of the country. Such a long period of reconstruction was due to interruptions in funding, as well as the fact that scholars had to gather bits and pieces of information about the exterior and interior of the buildings.

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During the period of Uzbekistan’s independence, the square was finally modernized and beautified. Today Registan is the venue of all large-scale holidays, concerts and festivals of Samarkand. The main event, which is celebrated twice a year is the international music festival Shark Taronalari, so if you want not only to admire Registan, but also enjoy a colorful national show, it is worth timing your trip to the beginning of one of the major holidays. Note that the square is especially beautiful in the evening, when the architectural lighting is turned on.

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Tourists

Address: Registanskaya ul. – Registon ko’chasi, Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

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It is absolutely free to visit the Registan, but separate tours, entrance to the museum and other additional entertainment will require some costs. The price and variety of such activities vary depending on the time of year.

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You can visit the square at any time of day, but museums and other establishments in the area have different opening hours.

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Getting to Samarkand’s central square is easy from any part of the city. Most public transportation routes make stops near the Registan. You can orient yourself on the shiny domes of madrasahs, which are clearly visible from almost everywhere.

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