Samarkand

Samarkand Uzbek: Samarqand, Самарқанд
Seal
Samarkand Location in Uzbekistan
Coordinates: 39°42′N 66°59′E
Country	Uzbekistan
Province	Samarqand Province
Settled	5t century BC
Govrenment
• Teep	Ceety Admeenistration
• Hakim (Mayor)	Akbar Shukurov
Area
• Total	108 km2 (42 sq mi)
Elevation	702 m (2,303 ft)
Population  (2008)
• Total	436,300
Time zone	UTC+5 ( )
Website	http://samshahar.uz/

Samarkand (Uzbek: Samarqand; Tajik: Самарқанд; Persie: سمرقند‎; frae Sogdian: "Stane Fort" or "Rock Toun") is the seicont-lairgest ceety in Uzbekistan an the caipital o Samarqand Province. The ceety is maist notit for its central poseetion on the Silk Road atween Cheenae an the Wast, an for bein an Islamic centre for scholarly study. In the 14t century, it became the caipital o the empire o Timur (Tamerlane), an is the site o his mausoleum (the Gur-e Amir). The Bibi-Khanym Mosque remains ane o the ceety's maist notable laundmerks. The Registan wis the auncient centre o the ceety.

In 2001, UNESCO addit the ceety tae its Warld Heritage Leet as Samarkand – Crossroads o Culturs.

Sister ceeties

• Nishapur, Iran
• Bukhara, Uzbekistan
• Balkh, Afghanistan
• Merv, Turkmenistan
• Cusco, Peru
• Lahore, Pakistan
• Lviv, Ukraine
• Kairouan, Tunisie
• Istanbul, Turkey
• İzmir, Turkey
• Khujand, Tajikistan