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In the footsteps of Ulugh Beg
1 day 6 stops

In the footsteps of Ulugh Beg

© Arian Zwegers, CC BY 2.0

Trace the legacy of the astronomer-king Mirzo Ulugh Beg (1394–1449): his madrasa, the family mausoleum, his teacher's tomb, the famous observatory and the hill of Chupan-Ata.

Practical information

Ulugh Beg ruled Samarkand for nearly 40 years from 1409 and turned it into a centre of learning. This route gathers his most important traces into a single day. From the Registan it's a 10–15-minute walk to Gur-e-Amir, then a taxi to Shah-i-Zinda. Have lunch near the Siab Bazaar. Shah-i-Zinda to the observatory is 2–3 km, and Chupan-Ata hill another 3 km or so beyond — easiest by taxi or with a hired driver.

The observatory and museum stay open until early evening in summer but close sooner in winter, so check current hours. Road access and permission to visit Chupan-Ata hill can change, so treat that stop as optional.

Read before you go

The astronomical tables compiled at the observatory, known as the Zij-i Sultani, list the positions of around a thousand stars and were later published in Europe. In 1449 Ulugh Beg was executed on the orders of his son Abd al-Latif, and the observatory was destroyed. Knowing the story gives every stop on this route extra resonance.

Stops

  1. 09:00

    Ulugh Beg Madrasa

    The oldest building on the Registan (1417–1420), where astronomy and mathematics were taught alongside theology. The star motifs on its portal are often linked to Ulugh Beg's passion for the heavens.

  2. 10:30

    Gur-e-Amir

    Ulugh Beg added the entrance portal to his grandfather's tomb and placed the jade slab over Timur's grave; he is buried here himself. The 1941 exhumation confirmed that he had been executed.

  3. 12:00

    Shah-i-Zinda

    Five to ten minutes by taxi. The ensemble's double-domed mausoleum (1434–1435) is traditionally attributed to Ulugh Beg's teacher, the astronomer Qadi-zade al-Rumi.

  4. 14:30

    Ulugh Beg Observatory

    After lunch, head to the observatory to see the arc of a sextant with a radius of about 40 metres, and a museum covering the 'Zij-i Sultani' star catalogue and V. Vyatkin's 1908 excavation.

  5. 16:30

    Chupan-Ata Hill and Mausoleum

    About 3 km from the observatory. Local tradition holds that the hilltop mausoleum was built under Ulugh Beg in the 1430s–1440s; the whole city is spread out below. Check access with your driver beforehand.

  6. 20:00

    Registan Evening Show

    End the day with the Registan's evening show, which lights up Ulugh Beg's madrasa too (seasonal).