Religious and pilgrimages across Samarkand

 “If an ancient man saw planes two thousand years ago 
He would've thought they were birds 
Or angels from another world 
Or messengers from other planets” 

Dejan Stojanovic.

Excursion tour over the Central Asia.

On the left side, in the lower group, in front of the large staircase, is a double-domed mausoleum, which is considered to be the mausoleum above the grave of the astronomer Kazy-zade Rumi, who worked at the Ulugbek Observatory.
The two-dome mausoleum dates from the first third of the XVth century. In 1949 - 1955, works on constructive strengthening of domes, restoration of their facing with blue bricks and strengthening of the remains of the portal were made here.
At the time of Ulugbeg, the two-dome mausoleum added the lower group of Shahi- Zinda, to the left of the famous staircase. The building, with traces of numerous repairs and additions, has been much damaged - a portal and corner premises of ziaratkhana have lost.
The written source "Samaria" does not mention the mausoleum. Probably, the author, Abu-Takhir Khodja did not find any historical inscriptions and dates on the monument. It is said that this is a tomb of foster-mother of Amir Temur, Uldja-Inaga and her daughter Bibi-Sineb, what was fixed in many sources of the XIXth century.
In the mid-XXth century, the scholars did assumption that the mausoleum was built by Ulugbeg above the tomb of astronomer Qazi-zadeh Rumi, participating in establishment of the Samarkand observatory. However, archeological survey of the crypt has revealed a deposition of some rather young woman, denying the last version.
The deposition was done under the floor in a ground grave. The small gurkhana with two domes on well-balanced drums is located above the grave. The portal accents the front entrance. Sets of enameled bricks, forming geometrical and epigraphic motifs, prevail in exterior decor.
Some places are decorated with composed mosaic. The interior still keeps some remains of paintings in dark blue palette on a white background. 

Enlightener:
Alexey Arapov. Samarkand. Masterpieces of Central Asia. Tashkent, Sanat. 2004.

Photos by
Alexander Petrov.