From silkworm cocoons to handwoven silk fabric—know how traditional ikat textiles are made in Margilan, Uzbekistan, using centuries-old dyeing and weaving techniques. Silk originated in China, from where sericulture and weaving spread west along the Silk Road. Fergana Valley, in Uzbekistan, a major region on the Silk Road, developed its own distinctive textile tradition, and by the 10th century, Margilan, a major commercial city in the valley, had become one of Central Asia’s

Step inside Bibi-Khanym Mosque in Samarkand and learn how Timur created one of Islamic world’s largest mosques despite immense engineering challenges. Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Samarkand, Uzbekistan If Registan Ensemble reflects Samarkand’s scholarship and artistic refinement, Bibi-Khanym Mosque reveals Timur’s imperial ambition, having been built on the wealth and power of military conquest. The monumental entrance portal of Bibi-Khanym Mosque dominates the skyline of Samarkand Af

Visit Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum in Samarkand; know why Amir Timur was buried here and the history behind the Timurid dynasty, and appreciate the architecture of one of Uzbekistan’s greatest monuments. Gur-e-Amir (mausoleum of the 14th-century Turko-Mongol conqueror Amir Timur) After exploring Samarkand’s mosques, madrassas, and public squares, I visited Gur-e-Amir, the mausoleum of the 14th-century Turko-Mongol conqueror Amir Timur. Unlike the Registan Ensemble, the mausoleum does