Shakhrisabz Activities, From Monuments to Markets

Timur was born near here in 1336, and the town that grew on the site of ancient Kesh still carries his stamp. A day in Shakhrisabz mixes monuments, a covered market, a small museum and regional cooking. The list below sorts the options so you can pick what fits your time.

Quick facts

  • Location: Qashqadaryo Region, southern Uzbekistan, about 80 to 90 km south of Samarkand.
  • Population: about 150,000.
  • Currency: Uzbek som (UZS). One US dollar is roughly 12,000 to 13,000 UZS.
  • Best for: one full day, or one night if you want slower mornings and evenings.

Visit the Timurid monuments

Ak-Saray is the headline sight, a ruined palace whose two entrance pylons rise about 38 m. Dorut Tilavat and Dorus Saodat sit further along the park axis and hold the family tombs of Timur’s circle, so treat them as places of prayer: shoulders and knees covered, hair covered for women inside, shoes off on carpets. Expect to pay around 40,000 UZS (about USD 3) at each site, and carry cash.

Browse the Chorsu bazaar

The covered bazaar under an octagonal dome, about 21 m wide, is dated to about 1602. Walk around the portals, watch bread coming out of tandir ovens nearby and ask before photographing stallholders. The old bathhouse beside the dome is still in use.

Spend an hour at the Amir Temur Museum

The Chubin Madrasah, a 17th-century building restored in 1997, now houses the museum. It makes a cool break after the open-air monuments and costs around 30,000 UZS.

Eat the regional dishes

The Kashkadarya region is known for tandir gosht, mutton roasted in clay ovens, and for kurut. Many visitors take lunch at a teahouse on the road to or from the pass. Roadside stalls on that road sell kurut and honey, so ask the price first.

Shop for embroidery

The town has its own embroidery tradition. Look for makers who can tell you how a piece was made, and ask whether it is handmade before you buy.

Plan around the pass and the weather

The road from Samarkand crosses the Takhtakaracha Pass and takes about two hours each way. Heavy snow or ice closes it from time to time in winter, so check conditions the day before. In warmer months, aim for early morning or late afternoon at the monuments, since the paved axis has little shade.

Read about the listing on Wikipedia , and see the Dorus Saodat entry on the national tourism site. To compare tours from Samarkand, try Viator .

Read more: Sightseeing in Shakhrisabz