Historical and architectural monuments of Uzbekistan
The Ismail Samani Mausoleum in Bukhara was built of fired brick at the turn of the 9th–10th centuries; its wall resembles woven matting and it is covered by a dome. The Kalon (Great) Minaret was built in 1127 by Arslan Khan of the Karakhanids; it is about 46 metres high, one climbs it by a spiral staircase inside, and from the windows at the top one can survey the surroundings. The Registan in Samarkand means “sandy place”, the city’s central square. It has three madrasas: the Ulugbek Madrasa (1417–1420) and the Sherdor and Tilla-Kori madrasas (17th century), which were built by the governor of Samarkand, Yalangtush Bahadur. On the Sherdor portal is a lion chasing a deer. The mosque inside Tilla-Kori was named for the much gold used in its decoration. Today the “Sharq Taronalari” international music festival is held in Registan. The Aksaray in Shahrisabz was begun by Amir Temur in 1380; today the two sides of its huge portal and part of its foundation survive. Ichan Qala is the inner city of Khiva: it has the Kuhna Ark, madrasas, mosques, mausoleums and dozens of other monuments. In 1990 it was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.
“Monument detective”: for each monument write its city, century and two distinctive features. Let a classmate guess the monument.