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Aksaray Mausoleum

A 15th-century Timurid tomb just behind Gur-e-Amir, plain outside but with a painted blue, white and gold interior.

Mausoleums15th centuryAbout 20 minutes to see

About the place

Aksaray, "white palace", stands about 30 metres south-east of Gur-e-Amir and served as a burial place for members of the Timurid family. No inscription gives its date, but its decoration is close to that of the Ishratkhana mausoleum, which points to the 1470s.

The outer dome was never finished, so the building looks modest from the street. Inside, the domed hall is covered in delicate painted patterns in blue and white with gold. The tomb lay in ruins for most of the 20th century and was restored in 2007; it is now open to visitors.

Why go

  • Painted Timurid interior with gold detail
  • A few steps from Gur-e-Amir
  • Quiet compared with the main Samarkand sights

Sources (5)

  1. 1.Wikidata
  2. 2.en.wikipedia.org
  3. 3.ru.wikipedia.org
  4. 4.uz.wikipedia.org
  5. 5.openstreetmap.org

Nearby

  • Gur-e-AmirMausoleums

    Under 1 km awayUNESCO World Heritage

    Gur-e-Amir

    The ribbed blue dome over the tomb of Amir Timur and members of his family, including his grandson Ulugh Beg.

  • Rukhobod MosqueEnsembles

    Under 1 km away

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    A working Friday mosque of 1880–1882 beside the Rukhobod mausoleum, a short walk from Gur-e Amir in Samarkand.

  • Rukhabad Madrasa, SamarkandEnsembles

    Under 1 km away

    Rukhabad Madrasa, Samarkand

    A 19th-century madrasa beside the Rukhabad mausoleum and close to Gur-e-Amir, whose student cells now hold craft and souvenir workshops.

  • Rukhobod MausoleumMausoleums

    Under 1 km awayUNESCO World Heritage

    Rukhobod Mausoleum

    A plain brick mausoleum of a fourteenth-century Sufi sheikh, close to Gur-e-Amir and one of the older buildings in the city.