Samarkand, the jewel of the Silk Road and the heart of Amir Temur’s empire, has unveiled a remarkable cultural initiative — the first tourist mahalla in Uzbekistan, “Bogibaland.” This new destination revives the spirit of Temur’s legendary gardens, once famed throughout his vast empire for their beauty, abundance, and harmony with nature.
Centuries ago, Samarkand was surrounded by magnificent royal gardens — Bogi Shamal, Bogi Dilkusho, Bogi Zogon, Bogi Bihisht, and others. Over time, only their names survived, whispered in chronicles and poetry. Yet one of them — Bogi Balandi, meaning “The High Garden” — has endured through the ages. Once a favorite retreat of Temur’s court, it now thrives as Bogibaland Mahalla, also known by its poetic second name, Anjirzor, or “The Fig Garden.”
Nestled at the foot of Chupanata Hill, the Anjirzor valley stretches gracefully for 2–3 kilometers, no more than half a kilometer wide. This fertile land has been home to fig growers for centuries, and today’s farmers are the direct descendants of those same devoted dehqans who once tended Temur’s orchards. The soil, rich and ancient, still yields the fruit that made Samarkand famous — the fig, known here as “the paradise fruit.”
In his Baburnama, the Mughal emperor Babur wrote of this very garden, noting that it was built by Amir Temur in honor of his beloved granddaughter Okabegim, the daughter of Mironshah. Generations later, fig cultivation remains the soul of Bogibaland. Spanning over 40 hectares, the orchards produce more than 300 tons of yellow and black figs each season — all grown naturally, without chemicals.
Visitors to the garden can experience this living history firsthand. During the “Fig Harvests,” held twice a year in June and September, tourists are invited to join the locals in gathering ripe fruit from 200–300-year-old fig trees. Beyond the orchards, they can witness the traditional methods of drying figs and crafting fig jams, secrets lovingly passed down through generations. In the mahalla’s homes and workshops, guests are welcomed to watch, taste, and purchase handmade fig delicacies — a sweet souvenir of their visit.
But Bogibaland is more than a garden. It is a living museum of Samarkand’s cultural heritage, where ancient craftsmanship meets community spirit. The area includes artisanal workshops, guesthouses, the archaeological site of Kizlar Teppa, and the Hodja Ishaki Vali Mosque — all part of a setting that reflects Uzbekistan’s blend of tradition, hospitality, and renewal.
The story of Bogibaland is deeply rooted in the grand legacy of Amir Temur, who transformed Samarkand into both a political and botanical capital. The great ruler, famed for his military conquests, also dedicated himself to beautifying the land, turning his empire into a mosaic of gardens and orchards. Historical records mention at least fourteen royal gardens, nine or ten of which were founded by Temur himself.
Among them were:
