Trip to Shahrisabz.

“If you doubt our power, look at our buildings”

The inscription on the portal of the palace Ak-Saray.

Short travels in Uzbekistan.

The building was built in Shakhrisabz under Amir Temur in 1379 was laid, construction began in 1380, completed in 1386, and finishing work finished in 1404. The idea of ​​the government palace of Amir Temur is given by Ak-Saray, in literal translation - the White Palace, but the term "ak" also has a figurative meaning - "noble, majestic".
This palace was laid in the happy hour, predicted by astrologers, after the return of Amir Temur from the fourth expedition to Khorezm, from which, besides the captured rich booty, masters of construction were sent to Shahrisabz.
In addition to the Khorezmians, local masters took part in the creation of the palace, as well as those brought by Amir Temur from other countries he had conquered. Brief description of Ak-Saray Babur: “Temurbek built a magnificent building in Kesh.
For the meetings of his sofa, he built a huge peshtak, and on the right and left side for the meetings of the sofa of tawajibek with sofa-beds two smaller peggas. For the seat, the complainants made a small arch on one side of this structure ”and in Klaviho’s diary:“
On another Day, on Friday, the envoys were led to inspect the large palace, which was built by order of the king. And above the door in the middle a lion was depicted against the background of the sun, and at the edges exactly the same images. It was the coat of arms of the Samarkand lord.
The execution of this decor is associated with the name of the master from Azerbaijan Yusuf Tebrizi ”. The name of Muhammad Yusuf Tebrizi, the master of facings, was repeated twice on the mosaic harness of the main portal. The peshtak tympanas (vaulted portal) depicted the sign of Amir Temur in the form of three ruts (“The Coat of Temur”).
The facade of the palace was decorated with numerous inscriptions. The history of the construction of Ak-Saray is overgrown with legends among the people. One of them is narrated by the architect, who built it, but once, securing a long chain, the master left it unbroken in the castle and disappeared.
Amir Temur was furious, but the architect was nowhere to be found, while other masters did not dare to take on this complex task. Suddenly, the architect himself appeared before Amir Temur and said: “Look, when I left, the chain reached my head, and now it is below the shoulders.
So, there was a shrinkage of the foundations and now I can reduce the arch, otherwise he would have cracked and then collapsed. In addition to the pylons and the foundations of the entrance portal, the palace was eventually almost completely destroyed.
Clavijo mentions the magnificent pavilion of this kind at the Ak-Saray palace: "Then the messengers were led to watch the hall, intended for the seignior to eat feasts and to spend time there with their wives ...". The legend about the construction of Ak-Saray is preserved:
After the defeated campaign against Khorezm, Temur wished to build a magnificent palace in Shakhrisabz. The most skillful architect took up work and a beautiful palace was really built. Delighted with the construction of the palace, Amir Temur asked the architect if he could build even better.
And he, intoxicated with glory, having forgotten caution, said he could. And then Amir Temur ordered to take the builder to one of the towers of Ak-Saray and tie him to two eagles. Together with him was attached a slave who received a secret order, when the birds took off, the slave cut the ropes and the architect crashed.
Amir Temur sought to turn Kesh-Shakhrisabz, where Ak-Saray was located in the spiritual center of Turan, the city was even named "Kubbat al-ilm shaft-adab" ("Dome of Science and Education").

Authority:
"Guide to tourist attractions Kashkadarya region." 2011.