"Crossroads of Cultures" a Samarkand Travel Page by traveloturc

"Everything I have heard about Marakanda (samarkand) is true, except that it's more beautiful then I ever imagined"
No this is not me this is Alexander the Great who said this words.I will say that this is the Firenze of Asia.This is the craddle of the eastern civilisation.Samarkand (Marakanda for greeks) is one of the world's oldest cities, located in the crossroads of the silk roads . UNESCO inscribed the 2700-year-old city on the World Heritage List as Samarkand - Crossroads of Cultures.

It was already the capital of Sogdian empire when it was taken in 329 BC by Alexander the Great, ' From the 6th to the 13th century it grew into a city more populous than it is today, changing hands every couple of centuries: Western Turks, Arabs, Persian Samanids, Karakhanids, Seljuq Turks, Mongolian Karakitay and Khorezmshah have all ruled here- before being obliterated by Cengiz Khan in 1220. In 1370 Timur decided to make Samarkand his capital, and over the next 35 years forged a new, almost-mythical city.His grandson Ulug bey ruled until 1449 and made it an intellectual centre as well.

I was in this city many times for business purposes.I think that I am very lucky to find this diamond city in the middle of Asia .
I can imagine the feeling of Caravan members travelling in the silk road .