Samarkand - Avenue of Mausoleums, Samarkand, Uzbekistan

As we reached the top of the stairs, the stunning Avenue of Mausoleums was right before us. We couldn’t believe our eyes. In front of us was a narrow walkway bordered on each side by the bright blue tiled walls of four historic mausoleums. It is one of the most amazing entrances to a site you could ask for.

There are so many incredible sites in Samarkand that we decided to present them in three separate posts. Click on the following links to read about Registan Square or Amir Temur Mausoleum.

Our favourite site in Samarkand is also its most beautiful. Its nickname is Avenue of Mausoleums and it is a display of some of Samarkand’s finest tile masonry. From the street its beauty is hidden by a rather ‘common’ look in this city of exemplary architecture.

After entering through the decorated gates, a set of stone steps leads you to the first of two breathtaking moments in the complex. At the top of the stairs four bright blue mausoleums stand within a few feet of each other. In fact they are so close, you can’t step back enough from one to see the other in its entirety. The amount of bright blue tile is almost overwhelming.

A couple of these first four mausoleums have interiors to match their exterior brilliance. Decorated in white, gold and blue tiles, they are magnificent tributes to their occupants. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).