Registan

The Registan is a big square.

It sits in a city called Samarkand. This city is in a land called Uzbekistan.

There are three old schools there. They are called madrasas. These schools help people learn.

One school has bright patterns. These show tigers and a sun. The name Sher means tiger. This makes the building look very special.

Long ago, people met in the square. They went there to hear news. They heard loud sounds from big pipes.

It is a famous place to visit. You can see many beautiful things there.

The Registan is a famous public square.

It is in the city of Samarkand. This city is in the country of Uzbekistan. The square is known for three large schools. These schools are called madrasas.

The first school is the Ulugh Beg Madrasa. It was built between 1417 and 1420. It had lecture rooms and a mosque. Students even lived in small rooms there. A great poet named Jami studied at this school.

The Sherdar Madrasa was built later. It was made between 1619 and 1636. The word "Sher" means tiger. You can see tiger patterns on the building. These tigers have a rising sun on their backs.

The third school is the Tilakari Madrasa. It was built from 1646 to 1660. It served as a school and a mosque. The main hall of the mosque is covered in gold.

Long ago, people met in the square to hear news. They heard loud sounds from big copper pipes. The square was a very important center for learning.

The Registan is a famous public square in the city of Samarkand. This city is located in the country of Uzbekistan.

The square is known for its three large Islamic schools called madrasas. These buildings are part of a grand group that makes the square very special. Long ago, the square was a central hub for the Timurid Renaissance. People gathered here to hear royal news. They would hear loud blasts from large copper pipes called dzharchis.

The square also saw public executions in its history.

Each madrasa has a very different story and look. The first is the Ulugh Beg Madrasa, built from 1417 to 1420. It was a top university for the Muslim Orient in the 15th century. The building has a large entrance called an iwan and high minarets at the corners. Inside, there are lecture rooms and a mosque. Students lived in small rooms called dormitory cells around the courtyard. Even the ruler Ulugh Beg gave lectures there. The famous poet and scientist Jami also studied at this school.

The next building is the Sherdar Madrasa, built between 1619 and 1636. The ruler Yalangto˙sh Bakhodir ordered its construction. The name comes from the word "Sher," which means tiger. You can see beautiful tiger mosaics on the building. These tigers have a rising sun on their backs. This style uses special Turko-Persian patterns. It is a very interesting sight for anyone visiting the square.

The third building is the Tilakari Madrasa, built from 1646 to 1660. It served as both a school and a grand mosque. The mosque is located in the western part of the courtyard. The main hall of this mosque is covered in a lot of gold. Like the others, it has two stories and many small rooms for students. To the east of this building, you can find the Mausoleum of Shaybanids. This tomb was built in the 16th century.

The Registan is part of a very old and important area. Much of the historical part of Samarkand is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Nearby, you can find the Chorsu trading dome. This building was built in 1785 during the reign of Amir Shahmurad. It sits at a crossroads connecting Samarkand to other cities like Tashkent and Bukhara. Today, the Chorsu building works as an art gallery. It shows the many different cultures of the Uzbek people.

The Registan is a historic public square located in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

It is most famous for its ensemble of three madrasas. A madrasa is an Arabic term for an Islamic school. This square served as a vital center for the Timurid Renaissance. It was a place where people gathered for many different reasons. Citizens came to hear royal proclamations delivered to the crowds. These announcements were heralded by loud blasts from enormous copper pipes called dzharchis. The square was also a site for public executions. Today, the Registan is a symbol of the rich history of Central Asia.

The three madrasas show the distinctive Islamic style of the region. They often feature muqarnas, which are decorative architectural elements. The first major building is the Ulugh Beg Madrasa, constructed between 1417 and 1420. This school was built during the Timurid Empire era of Timur. It was considered one of the best clergy universities in the Muslim Orient during the 15th century. The building features an imposing iwan, which is a large hall or space. This iwan has a lancet-arch pishtaq, or a monumental portal, facing the square. High minarets stand at the corners of the structure.

The Ulugh Beg Madrasa was a major center of learning. The ruler Ulugh Beg himself gave lectures at the school. Even the great Persian scholar and poet Jami studied there. The building originally had two stories. It included four domed darskhonas, which are lecture rooms, at the corners. The courtyard contains a mosque and several lecture rooms. Students lived in dormitory cells that fringe the edges of the square. Deep galleries run along the axes of the building. The entrance arch is decorated with beautiful mosaic panels of geometric ornaments.

The second building is the Sherdar Madrasa, built between 1619 and 1636. The Uzbek ruler of Samarkand, Yalangtoš Bakhodir, ordered its construction. The name of the building comes from its unique decorations. In the local language, "Sher" means tiger. The portal features tiger mosaics with a rising sun on their backs. These designs use Turko-Persian motifs to depict living beings. This makes the Sherdar Madrasa a very distinctive part of the square.

The third building is the Tilakari Madrasa, which was built from 1646 to 1660. This structure served two different roles. It was a residential college for students and also a grand masjid, or mosque. The building has a two-storied main facade. A vast courtyard is lined with dormitory cells for the students. There are four galleries located along the axes of the courtyard. The mosque building sits in the western section of this courtyard. The main hall of the mosque is abundantly gilded with gold.

Other historical structures sit near the Registan. To the east of the Tilakari Madrasa is the Mausoleum of Shaybanids. This tomb dates back to the 16th century. It is linked to Muhammad Shaybani, the founder of Shaybanid power. He was a leader of nomadic Uzbek tribes who conquered Samarkand and Bukhara. Nearby, you can find the Chorsu trading dome. This building was constructed in 1785 during the reign of Amir Shahmurad. The name Chorsu is of Persian origin and means "crossing roads."

The Chorsu dome sits at a famous intersection. This crossroads connects Samarkand to Tashkent, Bukhara, and Shahrisabz. Originally, Chorsu was a bazaar built in the 15th century. It was later rebuilt in the 18th century and became a market for hats. In 2005, ownership of the building moved to the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan. During renovations, workers removed three meters of dirt to find the original base. Now, Chorsu serves as an art gallery. It displays the diverse culture and history of the Uzbek people. The entire historical part of Samarkand is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.