Shakhrisabz: Amir Timur's green city beyond the mountains

At a glance

• Where: in Kashkadarya region, about 80–90 km south of Samarkand.
• How long: a day trip from Samarkand.
• Best time: April to June and September to November.
• Getting there: about two hours by road over the Takhtakaracha pass (about 1,675 m), through orchards and mountain villages.

Interesting facts

• The name means "green city" in Persian; its old name was Kesh. Official histories date Amir Timur's birth to 9 April 1336, in the village of Khoja Ilgar nearby.
• Timur began his summer palace, Ak-Saray ("White Palace"), in 1380, using craftsmen brought from conquered Khorezm. It took 24 years to build. Its gate towers still reach about 38 m; the arch between them, which once spanned 22 m, collapsed centuries ago.
• Timur's eldest son, Jahangir, died young in the 1370s and is buried in the Dorus-Saodat complex. Behind it, archaeologists found in 1943 an underground crypt with a marble tomb that Timur had prepared for himself. He was buried in Samarkand instead.
• UNESCO listed the historic centre in 2000. Since 2016 it has been on the List of World Heritage in Danger because of new building around the monuments, and UNESCO kept it on the list in July 2026.
• In 2026 the World Crafts Council named Shakhrisabz a World Craft City for iroqi, its fine cross-stitch embroidery.

What to see

The ruins of Ak-Saray dominate the north of the old town: two broken towers, still covered in blue, white and gold tilework, with a statue of Amir Timur in the park in front. From here a long pedestrian park leads south through the old centre.

At Dorus-Saodat, see the tall mausoleum of Jahangir and the simple stone crypt meant for Timur. Close by, the Dorut-Tilovat ensemble includes Kok Gumbaz, the Friday mosque that Ulugh Beg built in the 1430s in honour of his father, Shahrukh, with its great blue dome, and the mausoleum of the Sufi sheikh Shamsiddin Kulol, spiritual teacher of Timur's family.

Important notes

• Mountain road: the Takhtakaracha pass can close for a few hours after heavy snow in winter; drivers then take a longer road through the valley.
• Holy places: Dorut-Tilovat is a working mosque and burial ground; cover shoulders and knees, and women should bring a scarf.
• A quieter town: Shakhrisabz is a small, conservative place; keep beachwear for the hotel pool.
• Sun: the monuments are spread out along open avenues with little shade.

What to bring

• A hat and water for the walk between the monuments.
• A scarf for the mosque.
• Small notes in so'm for entrance tickets and souvenirs.
• A jacket for the pass, which is cooler than Samarkand.

Visit it on our private day trip from Samarkand to Shakhrisabz.