Shakhrisabz Monuments and Sights

October 31, 2026

Shakhrisabz was Timur’s home town, and the sights here are the buildings he and his family left behind. The Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000 and has been on the List of World Heritage in Danger since 2016, after a state programme in 2014 to 2016 cleared large parts of the old townscape for a park and tourist facilities. What you see today is a set of monuments joined by a paved park corridor.

Ak-Saray Palace

Work on Ak-Saray began in 1380 and continued to 1404. Forces of Abdullah Khan II destroyed it in the 16th century. Two entrance pylons survive, about 38 m high with a vault span of 22 m, while the original gate towers are thought to have reached about 65 m. Timur’s inscription is traditionally given as “If you doubt our power, look at our buildings”. The visit is from outside, around the pylons and the plaza, where a bronze statue of Timur stands.

Dorut Tilavat and Kok Gumbaz

Dorut Tilavat, the House of Meditation, is built around the tomb of Sheikh Shamsiddin Kulol, Timur’s spiritual teacher. The Kok Gumbaz mosque, with its large turquoise dome, was commissioned by Ulugh Beg in 1435 and completed about 1437 in honour of his father Shah Rukh. The Gumbazi Seyidon mausoleum dates to about 1438.

Dorus Saodat

Dorus Saodat, the Seat of Power, was begun about 1379 to 1380 and holds the tombs of Timur’s eldest son Jahangir, who died in 1376, and of Umar Shaykh. Beside it is a small 19th-century Hazrat Imam mosque with a painted wooden aivan. Behind the main building, a wooden door leads to the underground crypt found in 1943. It is a plain chamber with a marble sarcophagus under a monolithic gravestone, and was prepared for Timur. He is buried in Gur-e Amir in Samarkand, so this is not his resting place.

Dorut Tilavat and Dorus Saodat are tombs and active places of prayer. Speak quietly, cover shoulders and knees, women should cover their hair inside the mosques and mausolea, and shoes come off at carpeted thresholds.

Chorsu bazaar and bathhouse

The covered Chorsu bazaar dates to about 1602. Its octagonal central dome is about 21 m across, with four portals. A bathhouse beside it is still in use.

Amir Temur Museum

The museum is in the Chubin Madrasah, a 17th-century building restored in 1997. Its ticket is around 30,000 UZS.

Tickets, timing and logistics

Tickets are sold per site at around 40,000 UZS each (about USD 3), so check at the gate and carry cash. The paved axis has little shade, so the early morning or late afternoon is more comfortable than midday. Allow two to three hours for the monuments with entries.

Shakhrisabz is about 80 to 90 km south of Samarkand, over the Takhtakaracha Pass, and about two hours each way by road. The pass can close after heavy snow or ice, so check conditions the day before in winter. Background on the listing is on Wikipedia , and the UNESCO decision record covers the 2016 danger listing. The tourism portal has a Dorus Saodat page , and eurasia.travel describes the crypt. Tours from Samarkand can be compared on GetYourGuide .