Samarkand, a mythical town, was the capital of the capital of the Sogdian kingdom (the Sogdian was the lingua franca of Central Asia)

The Bibi-Khanum mosque .

Samarkand has a big Tadjik minority. For some Tadjik people, Samarkand is the capital of Tadjikistan.

The Registan .

The necropolis of Shah-i-Zinda

Near Samarkand is located the town of Shakhrisiabz , the birthplace of Tamerlan.