Shah-i-Zinda Samarkand

Shah-i-Zinda, “the Living King”, is a necropolis that grew up around the shrine of Qusam ibn Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad said to have brought Islam to the region. Over the following centuries, and especially under Timur, family members and nobles were buried along the path leading to it.

The result is a single narrow lane lined on both sides with mausoleums, their domes and portals covered in turquoise, cobalt and white tilework, some of it carved in deep relief. Walking up the steps between them, with light falling on the tiles, is a highlight of any trip to Uzbekistan.

It is a place of pilgrimage, so dress modestly and keep voices low. Early morning is quietest and the light is best.