Shakhrisyabz

The over 2000 years old city of Shakhrisyabz contains fine monuments from the Timurid period (15th century), notably the Ak-Sarai Palace.

Shakrisabz may be compared to Samarkand and Herat, other capitals of the Timurid empire.



Year Decision Comments
2000 Inscribed Reasons for inscription
1999DeferredBureau - for buffer zone etc and material relating to its merits in comparison with other central Asian cities (Samarkand, Bukhara, Herat, etc.). At WHC the Uzbek rep expressed concern at this and was promised that it WOULD be looked next year!

Reviews

carmen osset vicente (spain, but living in russia):
I encourage to any person who is in Samarcand or Bukhara, to take the road to Shakhrisyabz, the last time I went there is may 2006.
I like the blue mosque, the rests of the palace (by the way, I was surprised to find "new" rooms which have been discovered since the last time I went there), and the tombs and mausoleums, but what I like most in Uzbekistan is the people, they are wonderful.
It is easier if you speak russian, but it is possible (not expensive, but you have to bargain) to get any person with a car to take you anywhere. I recommend to take a local guide to explain you about the place.
I have entered your page hoping to find more information about the tombs and the art, can you recommend me any book or internet page?. I live in Moscow, although I'm Spanish, and I've been 7 times in Uzbekistan (3 of them in Shakhrisyabz), but I can not find much literature on the theme, I only have the guides' tales and some books.
Sincerely yours
carmen
Date posted: September 2006
Paul Tanner (UK):
The “standard tour” of Uzbekistan will take you to 3 WHS – Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. Unfortunately the direct route (6hrs by bus) from Samarkand to Bukhara misses out the country’s 4th WHS – the historic town of Shakhrisyabz. If you have your own transport you can fit in Shakhrisyabz and still get between Samarkand and Bukhara in a day - around 1.5 hours to Shakhrisyabz, 2 hours to see the town, another 2 to Qarshi and then another 3 to Bukhara. By bus would need 2 days.

So, is Shakhrisyabz “worth the detour”? It was the home town of Timur (Tamerlane) and most of the sites date back to him or his grandson Ulughbek. Timur himself has been resurrected since Uzbek independence as a great Uzbek hero after years “in the doldrums” under Soviet rule and an enormous statue of him dominates the town.

The town has a number of blue domed mosques and mausoleums. Unless you are an expert in Islamic architecture or Central Asian history you will probably not get a great deal more “value” out of Shakhrisyabz’s sites compared with those of the 3 other WHS towns. Shakhrisyabz doesn’t exude the history and “mystery of the east”of Bukhara and Khiva or have the magnificence of Samarkand. It is however much smaller, much less frequented by tourists and in essence much more “Uzbek” than these places. In my opinion if you do have your own transport or are not short of time it is worth the extra effort to take it in.
 


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