Registan Square in Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Registan Square

Registan became the central square of Samarkand in the 14th century. The word 'Registan' can be translated as 'a sandy place'. Earlier there flowed a canal forming sand and silt deposits. Six streets crossed at Registan. In the time of Temur the square was used as a commercial and craft center and Ulugbek made it a spiritual center. Ulugbek constructed a majestic madrasah and Sufi khanaka with a huge dome. By the 17th century old buildings of Registan had been in collapse and the governor of Samarkand Yalangtush-biy built Sher-Dor madrasah instead of Ulugbek's khanaka and later Tillya-Kari Madrasah.