“SAMARKAND – THE PEARL OF THE EAST”.

Samarkand – one of the oldest cities in the world (2750 years) – the “Pearl of the East”, as chroniclers and poets of antiquity called it – is located on the territory of the Zeravshan river basin (“gold-bearing”).

The ancestor of the present Samarkand is the huge settlement of Afrasiab, called Marakanda by the ancient Greeks. Here in the middle of the 1st millennium BC there was an ancient city, destroyed in the IV century BC by the troops of Alexander the Great. In the VIII century, the rebuilt city was again destroyed by the troops of the Arab Caliphate, but again revived to life. After the invasion of Genghis Khan’s hordes in the XIII century, Afrasiab ceased to exist and the inhabitants moved to the south-west of it, to the territory of present-day Samarkand.

The heyday of the medieval city is associated with the reign of Amir Temur (Tamerlane – 1370-1405), who chose Samarkand as the capital of his vast empire, which included Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, part of India, the entire territory of present-day Central Asia, as well as were in vassal dependence Egypt, Syria, Turkey, Golden Horde, Mogolistan (territory of present-day Kyrgyzstan).

In the XVI century Bukhara became the capital and during the following centuries Samarkand, as well as the territory of the whole Central Asia, went through a period of feudal disintegration. In 1868, the city was occupied by Russian colonial troops and became part of the newly created Zeravshan district of the Turkestan Governor-General’s Office. During this period European style houses were built here, parks, squares and boulevards were laid out. From 1924 to 1930. – it was the capital of Soviet Uzbekistan. Now Samarkand is the second largest city in the republic, including the number of universities, with a population of more than 500,000 people.

Historical architectural objects

• Abdi-Darun Ensemble (ХП-ХХ cc)
• Mausoleum of Khoja Daniyar (St. Daniel – XIV-XIX cc)
• Mausoleum of Rukhabad (XIV c.)
• Ak-Saray Mausoleum (XV c.)
• Bibi-khanim Cathedral Mosque (XV c.)
• Ensemble of Shah-i-Zinda mausoleums (XI-XIX cc)
• Ulugbek Museum and remains of Ulugbek’s observatory (XV c.)
• Gur-Emir Mausoleum – the family tomb of the Timurid dynasty in the male line (XV c.)
• Registan ensemble – the square of three madrasahs (spiritual and parochial schools): Ulugbek (XV c.), Tillya-Kari (XVII c.), Sher-Dor (XVII c.)
• Mausoleum of Ishrat-khan (XV c)

Formed in 1938
Area – 16.77 thousand km ²

The administrative center is the city of Samarkand (354 km from Tashkent)

The region is located in a basin surrounded by spurs of the Zeravshan (from the south) and Turkestan (from the north) ranges, in the valley of the Zeravshan River.

The climate of the region is sharply continental: mild winters with slight frosts and dry, hot summers.

Agriculture of the region is represented by cotton growing, horticulture, vegetable growing, viticulture, tobacco growing, cocoon production, and beekeeping.

The oblast takes the leading place in the republic in cultivation of fruits, grapes and production of sultanas.

In the northern and southern foothills there are vast pasture areas, which contributes to the development of meat and dairy cattle breeding. The number of cattle in this region occupies the leading position in Uzbekistan. Samarkand region also plays a leading role in the development of Karakul breeding. The Research Institute of Karakul breeding is working in Samarkand.

The economy of the region is based on a gigantic industrial-agrarian complex.

The leading position in industry is occupied by the heavy and mining industries. Production of household and freight elevators, household appliances, construction materials is well established. Machine-building, metalworking, chemical, food industries, porcelain and faience production are widely represented. Light industry is focused on cotton cleaning, sewing, silk weaving, knitting, footwear and other enterprises.

In the food industry there are wine and vodka, canning, tea and tobacco enterprises.

Samarkand is an important air, railroad and automobile junction of the republic.

Higher education in the region is represented by the State University, 5 institutes and branches of Moscow universities.