AMonumentIndependent states
Registan
The heart of Samarkand — a square framed by three great madrasas, one of the finest ensembles of Islamic architecture.
The Registan was the heart of the Timurid Empire and later Samarkand's commercial, educational and ceremonial square; its name means "sandy place" in Persian.
Three madrasas frame it: the Timurid-era Ulugh Beg Madrasa and the later Sher-Dor and Tilya-Kori madrasas of the Janid period. The lions and sun on Sher-Dor's portal are famous, and Tilya-Kori's interior is decorated with gold.
Soaring portals, turquoise domes and mosaic patterns have made the Registan a symbol of Central Asian architecture; today it hosts festival concerts and light shows.
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Updated: October 3, 2026