# The Registan in Samarkand: history and layout

> The Registan is a public square framed by three grand madrasas built between 1420 and 1660 — Timurid architecture at its zenith.

The Registan ("sandy place") sits at the historical heart of Samarkand and consists of three madrasas facing a central plaza:

- **Ulugh Beg Madrasa** (1417–1420) — the oldest, built by Timur's grandson Ulugh Beg as a centre of astronomy and mathematics. Its portal is decorated with geometric star patterns hinting at his scientific interests.
- **Sher-Dor Madrasa** (1619–1636) — the eastern building, famous for the twin "lion-tigers" chasing suns above its portal, an unusual figurative motif in Islamic architecture.
- **Tilya-Kori Madrasa** (1646–1660) — "gilded" for its lavishly gold-leafed interior mosque dome. It served as both madrasa and the city's main Friday mosque.

British statesman Lord Curzon called the ensemble "the noblest public square in the world" in his 1889 travelogue. Today the square is a UNESCO-listed centrepiece and hosts an evening sound-and-light show in summer.

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Keywords: Registan, Samarkand, Timurid, madrasa, UNESCO, Silk Road
Updated: 2026-08-15
Category: destinations
URL: https://uzbguidedtours.com/kb/kb-samarkand-registan-history