Samarkand
Samarkand, set in Uzbekistan in the heart of Central Asia, has around 540 thousand inhabitants. It is one of the oldest cities in the world, founded in the 6th century BC, and an important historical and scholarly centre. It is home to the famous Ulugh Beg Observatory with its impressive 40-metre sextant. The city was inscribed on the UNESCO list in 2001. It is best visited in spring or autumn, when temperatures are pleasant and monuments such as the mosques and madrasas show themselves at their finest.
