Shah-i-zinda
The Shah-i-zindah (“the Living King”) is a necropolis in the nord of Samarkand, developed around the shrine of Qusam ibn Abbas, a cousin of the prophet Muhammad of whom is told that he was decaptivates near to the walls of Samarkand during the 7th century Arab conquests.
According to the legend he took is head into his hands and descended into a well, in which he's living eternally in an underground palace as the 'Living King'.
After the plunder of the city early 13th century the site started growing into a necropolis. Most monuments were built between 1370 and 1405, mostly for women of the Timurid dynasty. Ulug Beg, the grandson of Timur defined the borders of the complex building a monumental entrance gate in 1434-35 ceremonical entrance.
Now youcan visit the Shah-i-zinda as a street of 200 m between mausolea, grouped in three clusters climbing upwards the hill. As a visiter you are walking from south to north against time while the different momuments were examples for each other. For this reason I comment the monuments in reverse order, following their building history.
