Shah-i-Zinda

The name means "the living king" and refers to Qusam ibn Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet who, according to tradition, came to Samarkand to preach Islam. His shrine at the top of the lane is the oldest part of the complex and has drawn pilgrims for centuries.

Most of the other tombs were built in the late fourteenth and fifteenth centuries for women and nobles of Timur's court. Each facade is different: carved terracotta, glazed relief and mosaic in deep blues and turquoise, close enough to study up close.

Visitors enter at the bottom through a gateway and climb a flight of steps. Local people still come to pray, so expect a mix of tourists and pilgrims.