From Samarkand to Khiva, Uzbekistan’s UNESCO landmarks trace the story of the Silk Road

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From Samarkand to Khiva, Uzbekistan’s UNESCO landmarks trace the story of the Silk Road  Once a crossroads of empires and ideas, Uzbekistan remains one of the best-preserved witnesses to the Silk Road’s influence on architecture, learning and spiritual life.  In partnership with Center for the Production of Content for Mass Media under the Administration of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan  READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2025/12/02/from-samarkand-to-khiva-uzbekistans-unesco-landmarks-trace-the-story-of-the-silk-road  Subscribe to our channel. Euronews is available on Dailymotion in 12 languages

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00:00In Uzbekistan, history does not sleep behind museum glass, recognized by UNESCO for its

00:29outstanding cultural and historical significance, many of these sites stand as living monuments.

00:35Samarkand is widely considered as the crossroads of cultures.

00:39Behind us, the first building, very old, the swamp, which was constructed by order of the

00:45Ulukbek, the grandson of the Timur. He started to taught here scientific science, religious

00:50science, even the medicine also. This is the second university of the Rajasthan Square,

00:55which is, we can say, as a reflection, as a twist of the first one. A lot of students were in 17th

01:02century. That's why governor of the Samarkand, Bahadur Yelang Dushbi, ordered to build the second

01:08university. The third building, which is constructed the same 17th century in 10 years, by order of the

01:16same governor who built the second one. But in a third one, he included Friday mosque and a madrasa

01:22in one complex. One of the most important monuments in Samarkand is the Bibi Hanoum Mosque.

01:29Everything was erected here in five years, from 1399 to 1494. More than 10,000 artisans, craftsmen,

01:38stonemasons labored here to build this place. Beyond the bustling squares of Samarkand lies

01:44Sakizinda, a city of the dead that lives in color and light. Walking through this necropolis is walking

01:51through centuries. Here, Cobalt and Irkua simmer like a steery sky brought worth. Every tile tells of hands

02:00that shape clay into eternity. Further west lies Kiva, the fortress city of Itsankala. Behind its mud brick walls,

02:10time falls gently. When you enter to the old city of Kiva, you will imagine the fairytale city. And

02:16because of the locations of this historical monuments in one complex as an open-air museum,

02:22I think that it was included to the heritage list of UNESCO. In Bukhara, the city of scholars,

02:28wisdom pools like water around Labi House. Even today Labi House is a living space, not just a monument.

02:37The mulberry trees around me are centuries old, and the cafes here make it a favorite meeting point,

02:45both for locals and visitors. This pool reflects the surrounding madrasas in a magical way,

02:52making it one of the most atmospheric places in the city.

02:57The call to prayer circles the Poikalian, drifting over caravan roots that once carried silk, spices,

03:05best stories. In order to be ensembled, there must be more than two important architectural and ancient

03:12buildings. And there are four important buildings. The first one is the Great Minaret, and there is

03:18other great mosque. It is called, even nowadays, a public Friday mosque, and it was built in 16th century.

03:27And there is Mirarab Madrasah. It was also built in 16th century. And there is also a Mirarab Madrasah.

03:35And the Ark of Bukhara still remains a fortress of time, guarding centuries of power, faith, and life.

03:41But Uzbekistan's heritage is more than its cities. It also lives in the Sarafsan Karakum corridor,

03:47where caravans once carved pathways across deserts. In the Navoy region, ancient mosques,

03:55such as Tegaron, whisper of travelers, who crossed the sands.

03:59In the ancient heart of Karakumara, close to Navoy, the Kusum Seikh complex stands like a quiet prayer,

04:19saved in brick and sky. With multiple sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Uzbekistan stands

04:35as a crossroads the world has agreed to safeguard. UNESCO may mark these places on a map,

04:41but the Silk Road itself carries the true signature, a journey still unfolding, always ready to guide the

04:48next traveler toward its endless horizon.

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