Samarkand is an exotic place in Central Asia, Uzbekistan. I discovered it in June, and was already too hot. There is no shadow there, there is no hope for rains. Despite all these, an impressive city I falled in love with!

Samarkand is one of the oldest world’s cities. It is 2700 years old and was founded in the same time with Rome and Babylone, under the name of Afrasiab. Its actually name of Samarkand has a persian origin, and means the stonefort.

Samarkand was named the pearl of the Orient, the oriental Rome. It is first of all an islamic city and a traditionally islamic centre of scholar studies. You can find, see and admire here three islamic universities from different periods of times, based in the fascinating square of Registan. The Registan is a typically islamic architecture, similar with the spanish Alhambra and the Istanbul Blue Mosque. Registan means the sandy place, here were made the public executions and the sand were used for cleaning.

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