Registan: Samarkand's Heart of Power and Beauty

This episode explores the Registan of Samarkand, the monumental public square that served as the heart of the Timurid Empire and later the Uzbek dynasties. Hosts Lucas and Luna dive into its three madrasas—Ulugh Beg, Sher-Dor, and Tilya-Kori—each with unique stories of construction, destruction, and restoration. They discuss the astronomical ambitions of Ulugh Beg, the controversial use of Islamic motifs in Sher-Dor's sun-lion tiles, and the gilded splendor of Tilya-Kori. The episode also covers the square's role in commerce, justice, and public life under the Timurids and Shaybanids, and its transformation under Soviet restoration. Key figures include Ulugh Beg, Yalangtush Bakhadur, and modern restorers. The conversation touches on the Registan's survival through earthquakes and invasions, and its symbolic power as a crossroads of cultures. #Uzbekistan #Samarkand #Registan #Timurid #UlughBeg #SherDor #TilyaKori #Madrasa #Shaybanid #YalangtushBakhadur #SilkRoad #CentralAsia #IslamicArchitecture #Mosaic #SovietRestoration #UNESCO #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo