It was a dreary day when we visited the Registan in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Fortunately that kept many of the other visitors away and we had the three madrasahs to ourselves. The Registan was the center of ancient Samarkand, a town square if you will, and the three madrasahs made a public courtyard where one of the largest silk road markets took place. Today the government has pushed shop keepers into the small rooms lining the courtyards, preventing you from getting an up close look without a “come, look at my shop!”
This photo was taken inside the courtyard of the Ulugh Beg Madrasah.
To see a few of our favorite photos from Uzbekistan check out our PHOTO PAGE. Tell us your own favorites to be included in this column!
If you’re interested in traveling to Uzbekistan we put together a Uzbekistan Travel Guide.
Cathy Sweeney says
Before I got connected with others in the travel blogging community, I never would have known that it was even possible to go places like Uzbekistan — the kind of travel I could only dream about. Now it seems like a possibility. Thanks for sharing your travel experiences. Very nice photo.
Jillian says
Thanks Cathy! Uzbekistan was one of the more interesting stops along our journey. A real pain in the butt to get the visa and permissions, but it was really fascinating to be there- everything seemed like it was the result of ancient globalization. We saw people of all different races, including some very pale folks with red hair! If you feel adventurous, I’d definitely recommend heading to the area for an experience I don’t think you can get anywhere else in the world.
Cam says
Beauty!