Samarkand – Crossroads of Cultures

Samarkand, the second-largest city in Uzbekistan, is most noted for its central position on the Silk Road between China and the West. It is considered the crossroads of world cultures with a history of over two and a half millennia. In the 14th century it became the capital of the empire of Timur and is the site of his mausoleum. In 2001, UNESCO added the city to its World Heritage List as “Samarkand– Crossroads of Cultures”. I appreciate these beautiful postcards so much, which were sent from Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, by my friend Shukhrat. Thank you very much! The first card shows the entrance portal of Timur’s mausoleum – the Gur-e Amir, which was built between 1376 and 1403.  Shukhrat also used a well-matched stamp issued in 2007 to send this card, to make it perfect! The second one shows the Sher-Dor Madrasah (Lions Gate), which was built between 1619 and 1636. This madrassah was built on the Registan Square, in 1619-1636, while the square was the heart of the ancient city of Samarkand of the Timurid dynasty.