Behind the ugly wall surrounding Gur-e-Amir is this unexpected 15th-century mausoleum, with some stunningly restored blue and gold decoration under the main dome and three tombs in the crypt.
Ak Saray Mausoleum
Samarkand
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.57 MILES
This ensemble of majestic, tilting medressas – a near-overload of majolica, azure mosaics and vast, well-proportioned spaces – is the centrepiece of the…
0.04 MILES
The beautiful portal and trademark fluted azure dome of the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum marks the final resting place of Timur (Tamerlane), along with two sons…
1.38 MILES
Samarkand’s most moving and beloved site is this stunning avenue of mausoleums, which contains some of the richest tilework in the Muslim world. The name,…
-
1.04 MILES
The enormous congregational Bibi-Khanym Mosque, northeast of the Registan, was financed from the spoils of Timur's invasion of India and must have been…
0.62 MILES
On the northern side of the Registan is the Tilla-Kari (Gold-Covered) Medressa, completed in 1660, with a pleasant, gardenlike courtyard. The highlight…
0.52 MILES
The Ulugbek Medressa, on the western side of the Registan, is the square's original medressa, finished in 1420 under Ulugbek who is said to have taught…
0.6 MILES
The entrance portal of the Registan's Sher Dor (Lion) Medressa, opposite the Ulugbek Medressa and finished in 1636, is decorated with roaring felines that…
-
1.94 MILES
The Afrosiab Museum was built around one of Samarkand’s more important archaeological finds, a chipped 7th-century fresco of the Sogdian King Varkhuman (r…
Nearby Samarkand attractions
0.04 MILES
The beautiful portal and trademark fluted azure dome of the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum marks the final resting place of Timur (Tamerlane), along with two sons…
0.21 MILES
This brick mausoleum, dated 1380 and possibly the city’s oldest surviving monument, was renovated in 2015 and now serves as a souvenir and craft shop. The…
0.31 MILES
This glowering statue of Timur seated on his throne marks the boundary between the old Uzbek town and the Russian-designed new town. It's a major landmark…
0.35 MILES
The lovely Hoja-Nisbatdor Mosque, a 15 minutes' walk south of the Registan, has a large aivan embraced by walls inlaid with beautifully restored ghanch …
0.41 MILES
The small, 19th-century Imon Mosque has an open porch, tall carved columns and a brightly restored ceiling. Respectfully dressed visitors are always…
0.52 MILES
The Ulugbek Medressa, on the western side of the Registan, is the square's original medressa, finished in 1420 under Ulugbek who is said to have taught…
0.57 MILES
This ensemble of majestic, tilting medressas – a near-overload of majolica, azure mosaics and vast, well-proportioned spaces – is the centrepiece of the…
0.6 MILES
The entrance portal of the Registan's Sher Dor (Lion) Medressa, opposite the Ulugbek Medressa and finished in 1636, is decorated with roaring felines that…