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 «If you doubt about our power- look at our buildings! » - This sign decorates the portal of the Ark- Sarai built by Amir Timur in the end of XIV century. Unfortunately, only part of the entrance arch has survived till our time. But even these remains help to imagine an amazing beauty and majesty of this construction.
Architects from Iran, Iraq, Khorezm and Northern India had been building this Palace during 20 years. This construction embodies their best skills and experiences. Once the building was finished the world had seen a splendid Palace, which had no equals.
Place consisted of some yards with living and public rooms. The interior was elegant and walls were decorated with golden and sapphire images; facades were covered with tiles and yards were paved with white tiles.
Ruy Gonzáles de Clavijo, Spanish ambassador, arrived in Shakhrisabz at the Amir Timur’s invitation in 1404. He was amazed with majesty of the palace and described it in details in his diary. He described a reception room which had a square shape.
Its walls were painted with gold and sapphire and ceiling was gilded. Guests were escorted upstairs to the floor with dozens of rooms. De Clavijo noted that such decoration could highly estimated in Paris.
One of Palace’s miracles was a pool with a picturesque waterfall, built on the root. Water was supplied to the pool through the lead channel from Mountain pass Tahtakaracha.
The time didn’t spare the palace. The entrance ark, which was the biggest one in Central Asia, crashed about 200 years ago. Arch span was 22, 5 meter high. The high of survived tower, even in ruins, reaches 38 meters. A big work on reconstruction still goes on. The filigree mosaic amazes with a scale of colours, bright ornaments and frescos. |
