Shah-i-Zinda

Samarkand, Uzbekistan

A stunning avenue of mausoleums in Samarkand, containing some of the finest examples of Timurid tilework. The complex is said to contain the tomb of Qusam ibn Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Historical Context

The necropolis grew around the alleged tomb of Qusam ibn Abbas, who is said to have brought Islam to Samarkand in the 7th century. The majority of the surviving mausoleums date from the Timurid period, when Samarkand was the capital of a world empire.