Shahrisabz (XIV–XV sec.): la città natale di Timur e il colossale Ak-Saray
Qui, nel cuore verde della Transoxiana, nacque Timur, e qui volle un palazzo che sfidasse il cielo: l’Ak-Saray, il “Palazzo Bianco”, il cui portale gigantesco svetta ancora in rovina. Shahrisabz fu la sua città natale e il monumento della sua ambizione, ricca di moschee e mausolei timuridi.
At a glance
Shakhrisabz, “the green city”, lies south of Samarkand in Uzbekistan and was the birthplace of Timur (Tamerlane). When he built his empire he lavished monuments on his home town, above all the Ak-Saray, the “White Palace”, whose colossal portal — once the tallest in Central Asia — still towers in ruin, sheathed in blue and gold tile. The historic centre, with its Timurid palaces, mosques and mausoleums, bears witness to the splendour of the Timurid age and was inscribed by UNESCO in 2000.
Key facts
- UNESCO: World Heritage since 2000 (Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz)
- Birthplace of Timur: the conqueror was born nearby in 1336
- Ak-Saray Palace: Timur’s “White Palace”, its giant portal still standing in ruin
- Timurid monuments: mosques, mausoleums and the Dorut Tilovat complex
- Tilework: portals faced in blue, white and gold glazed tile
- South of Samarkand: across the mountains from the imperial capital
History
Shakhrisabz, ancient Kesh, was the home town of Timur, born nearby in 1336. As his conquests made him master of an empire stretching from India to Anatolia, he transformed his birthplace into a showcase of Timurid art. From 1380 he raised the Ak-Saray, a palace of unprecedented scale whose entrance arch was meant to overawe all who approached.
He and his descendants also built mosques, the Dorut Tilovat religious complex and mausoleums, including one intended for Timur himself, though he was finally buried in Samarkand. War and time reduced the Ak-Saray to its two great portal piers, but the historic centre preserves the ambition and artistry of the Timurid dynasty.
What you see
The Ak-Saray survives as two enormous brick piers, the sides of its lost gateway, still clad in geometric and floral tile, with a statue of Timur between them where the arch once spanned. Beyond lie the Dorut Tilovat complex, with the blue-domed Kok Gumbaz mosque, and the Dorus Saodat mausoleums.
The restored old town and its bazaars set these Timurid monuments in a living Uzbek city.
Practical information
- Monuments: the Ak-Saray, mosques and mausoleums across the old centre
- Time needed: half a day
- Note: reached over a scenic mountain pass from Samarkand
- Setting: in the Kashkadarya valley, southern Uzbekistan
Getting there
Shakhrisabz is about 80 km south of Samarkand, Uzbekistan, across the Takhtakaracha pass. It is reached by road from Samarkand. GPS: 39.0567° N, 66.8347° E.
Nearby
- Samarkand — Timur’s imperial capital, also UNESCO-listed, to the north
- Kashkadarya valley — the green country around the town
- Takhtakaracha pass — the mountain road to Samarkand
Sources
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre — “Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz” (ref. 885)
- Ministry of Culture of Uzbekistan — official body
- Encyclopaedia Britannica — Timur; Shahrisabz
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