We are at the Gur Emir Mausoleum. This complex was right next to our hotel in Samarkand. I went by it four or five times during our stay in Samarkand. We were told that this was a significant architectural ensemble. The complex started out as a madrassah by Muhammad Sultan, grandson of Tamerlane (Amir Timur). But Sultan died and Timur temporarily ordered his grandson’s remains put in the corner of the madrassah and ordered construction of the mausoleum. Tamerlane (Timur) however died before the mausoleum was finished, in 1405. Ulugbek, another of Timur’s grandsons, finished the mausoleum and even though Timur already had prepared his own mausoleum, Ulugbek buried Timur here. Timur’s two sons, two grandsons, and his spiritual mentor were also buried here. So this is the mausoleum of one of the great conquerors of the world, Amir Timur – or Tamerlane.

The first photo was taken on the walk up to the mausoleum. It’s a beautiful structure from any angle.

The entrance is in the second photo and hundreds of tourists were visiting this place. We talked, through our interpreter, with several groups. These ladies are Uzbeks and are on vacation making a visit here.

The third photo is going through the entry portal but you can see some of the fine tile work, some of the courtyard and the cupola on the main complex.

The fourth photo is inside and that was very crowded as well. Timur’s gravestone is made of a single piece of jade. It is to the right of this photo. The burials are actually below in the mausoleum basement.

I’ve mentioned Timur, or Tamerlane, numerous times on this trip. Just to give you some idea, I’ve attached a map that was in one of the rooms in the mausoleum. If you can see it, is shows routes of Timur’s military campaigns. He was born in 1336 and died in 1405. He was a vicious conqueror who razed ancient cities to the ground and killed them all. But he was also known as a great patron of the arts, literature, and architecture. He was a Turkic-Mongol and on the map, it is amazing to see all his military campaigns. He went to Delhi, Bagdad, Istanbul, Kiev, Russia, China and all over the land at that time.