Shakhrisabz

City of Shakhrisabz Shakhrisabz or Shahr-e Sabz means "green city." It is a city in Uzbekistan, located about 100 km south of Samarkand, in the Kashkadaria region. The road to Shakhrisabz passes through the Takhtakaracha Pass, and the landscape is picturesque. Along the way, you pass small villages. This city is a city of vineyards and orchards. It is the birthplace of Amir Timur. Its ancient name was Kesh. The historic center of Shakhrisabz contains exceptional monumental buildings. Its old quarters bear witness to the city's legendary past, its heyday under the reign of Amir Timur and the Timurids, from the 15th to the 16th centuries. Since 1993, Shakhrisabz has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. History Shahrisabz is considered one of the oldest cities in Central Asia. It was founded over 2,700 years ago. From the 6th to the 4th century, it was part of the Achaemenid Empire. According to the Greek and Roman historians Arriyan and Kurtsiy, three regions existed in the Kashkadaria River valley: Nautaka, Ksenippa, and Gazaba. Ptolemy, Alexander the Great's general, captured Bessus, the satrap of Bactria, there. Alexander the Great spent some winters there. He met his wife Roxana there in 328-327 BC. Roxana's father, Oxiartes, was the governor of Nautaka. The Uzunkupir fortress, located 79 km from Maracand (present-day Kitab), was the center of the region. In this fortress, Alexander the Great married the beautiful Roxana. In 710, the city was conquered by the Arabs. Formerly, the city was also known as Kesh. Since 776, Kesh became the center of the revolt against the Arabs, led by Mukanna. Mukanna's real name was Khashim ibn Khakim. He spent his last days in the Sinam fortress. This anti-Arab resistance is known in history as the "White-Covered." With the suppression of this resistance, the great pre-Islamic history and culture of this region ended and the new civilization, Islam, began. The city of Kesh was destroyed by the Arabs during the suppression of this movement. In the 9th century, the city was abandoned. A new village appeared 7 km south of the city of Kesh, within the limits of present-day Shakhrisabz. The city resisted the Mongols. Since the end of the 12th century, the city has been under the control of the Barlas tribe. The Barlas arrived following the Mongol invasions. Amir Timur's father was the governor of the city. Amir Timur was born on April 9, 1336, in the village of Khodja Ilgor, near Shakhrisabz, into a noble family of the Barlas tribe. Amir Timur was a renowned statesman and conqueror, the founder of a great empire. He considered Shakhrisabz the holy city and the second most important city of his great empire. He built magnificent architectural monuments there, planted gardens, and built roads. During the time of Timur and the Timurids, the city reached its peak of prosperity. Its Ak Saray Palace was unparalleled. The city of Kesh was renamed Shakhrisabz, "the city that gladdens the heart," during Timur's time. In 1395, Amir Timur built a palace and gardens between Samarkand and his hometown of Shakhrisabz, 80 km further south. Its dimensions are staggering; it is said that one of the nobles lost his horse there, but found it six months later. After the fall of the Timurid dynasty, the city became a secondary city. Khan Abdullah of Bukhara destroyed most of the Timurid heritage in the 16th century. According to legend, the Khan of Bukhara's horse became exhausted and died as it approached the city. In a fit of anger, the Khan of Bukhara, Abdullah Khan II, destroyed the city. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the city was abandoned. In the mid-18th century, under Nazarbek, the city was developed, and its famous architectural monuments were restored. The city fought against Bukharan rule. In the 19th century, the city resisted Emir Nasrullah for more than thirty years. With the help of the Russians, the Emir of Bukhara conquered the city in 1870. After his victory, Nasrullah kidnapped the governor's newlywed sister. Four years later, she poisoned Nasrullah. Before dying, the Emir ordered the woman's execution. In 1873, there were two cities within a single city wall. Shakhrisabz was larger than Kitab. In this city, there were 90 mosques and three madrasahs. The city had four gates. The northern gates were called the Samarkand Gates. The western gates were called Shirakchi, the southern ones were called Yanguiaryk, and the eastern ones were called Kunchikar. There were also defensive walls between Shakhrisabz and Kitab. Its length was 60 km. During the Soviet era, it was a small town. After independence, the city experienced a new boom.

City of Shakhrisabz Shakhrisabz or Shahr-e Sabz means "green city." It is a city in Uzbekistan, located about 100 km south of Samarkand, in the Kashkadaria region. The road to Shakhrisabz passes through the Takhtakaracha Pass, and the landscape is picturesque. Along the way, you pass small villages. This city is a city of vineyards and orchards. It is the birthplace of Amir Timur. Its ancient name was Kesh. The historic center of Shakhrisabz contains exceptional monumental buildings. Its old quarters bear witness to the city's legendary past, its heyday under the reign of Amir Timur and the Timurids, from the 15th to the 16th centuries. Since 1993, Shakhrisabz has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. History Shahrisabz is considered one of the oldest cities in Central Asia. It was founded over 2,700 years ago. From the 6th to the 4th century, it was part of the Achaemenid Empire. According to the Greek and Roman historians Arriyan and Kurtsiy, three regions existed in the Kashkadaria River valley: Nautaka, Ksenippa, and Gazaba. Ptolemy, Alexander the Great's general, captured Bessus, the satrap of Bactria, there. Alexander the Great spent some winters there. He met his wife Roxana there in 328-327 BC. Roxana's father, Oxiartes, was the governor of Nautaka. The Uzunkupir fortress, located 79 km from Maracand (present-day Kitab), was the center of the region. In this fortress, Alexander the Great married the beautiful Roxana. In 710, the city was conquered by the Arabs. Formerly, the city was also known as Kesh. Since 776, Kesh became the center of the revolt against the Arabs, led by Mukanna. Mukanna's real name was Khashim ibn Khakim. He spent his last days in the Sinam fortress. This anti-Arab resistance is known in history as the "White-Covered." With the suppression of this resistance, the great pre-Islamic history and culture of this region ended and the new civilization, Islam, began. The city of Kesh was destroyed by the Arabs during the suppression of this movement. In the 9th century, the city was abandoned. A new village appeared 7 km south of the city of Kesh, within the limits of present-day Shakhrisabz. The city resisted the Mongols. Since the end of the 12th century, the city has been under the control of the Barlas tribe. The Barlas arrived following the Mongol invasions. Amir Timur's father was the governor of the city. Amir Timur was born on April 9, 1336, in the village of Khodja Ilgor, near Shakhrisabz, into a noble family of the Barlas tribe. Amir Timur was a renowned statesman and conqueror, the founder of a great empire. He considered Shakhrisabz the holy city and the second most important city of his great empire. He built magnificent architectural monuments there, planted gardens, and built roads. During the time of Timur and the Timurids, the city reached its peak of prosperity. Its Ak Saray Palace was unparalleled. The city of Kesh was renamed Shakhrisabz, "the city that gladdens the heart," during Timur's time. In 1395, Amir Timur built a palace and gardens between Samarkand and his hometown of Shakhrisabz, 80 km further south. Its dimensions are staggering; it is said that one of the nobles lost his horse there, but found it six months later. After the fall of the Timurid dynasty, the city became a secondary city. Khan Abdullah of Bukhara destroyed most of the Timurid heritage in the 16th century. According to legend, the Khan of Bukhara's horse became exhausted and died as it approached the city. In a fit of anger, the Khan of Bukhara, Abdullah Khan II, destroyed the city. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the city was abandoned. In the mid-18th century, under Nazarbek, the city was developed, and its famous architectural monuments were restored. The city fought against Bukharan rule. In the 19th century, the city resisted Emir Nasrullah for more than thirty years. With the help of the Russians, the Emir of Bukhara conquered the city in 1870. After his victory, Nasrullah kidnapped the governor's newlywed sister. Four years later, she poisoned Nasrullah. Before dying, the Emir ordered the woman's execution. In 1873, there were two cities within a single city wall. Shakhrisabz was larger than Kitab. In this city, there were 90 mosques and three madrasahs. The city had four gates. The northern gates were called the Samarkand Gates. The western gates were called Shirakchi, the southern ones were called Yanguiaryk, and the eastern ones were called Kunchikar. There were also defensive walls between Shakhrisabz and Kitab. Its length was 60 km. During the Soviet era, it was a small town. After independence, the city experienced a new boom.