Perched in the northern reaches of Samarkand, close to the bustling central bazaar and the ancient hills of Afrasiab, lies a museum that is a gateway to the city’s illustrious past. The Afrasiab Museum is a sanctuary of history, dedicated to chronicling the evolution of Samarkand, a city that has witnessed the ebb and flow of empires and civilizations.
The site of Afrasiab, integral to the ancient fabric of Samarkand, met its demise at the hands of the Mongol hordes in the 13th century. Yet, the museum stands as a defiant reminder of the city’s resilience, showcasing its journey from the epoch of Alexander the Great’s conquests to the present.
Within the walls of the Afrasiab Museum, a treasure trove of archaeological finds awaits. Each artifact, a silent narrator of a different chapter of the settlement’s history, is among the museum’s most prized possessions. Visitors can marvel at ossuaries, fragments of time-worn swords, knives, arrows, and coins, as well as the pottery and resplendent frescoes from the palace of the Ikhshidid dynasty, which reigned during the 7th and 8th centuries.
The quest to unearth Afrasiab’s secrets began in the late 19th century and continues unabated today. Among the museum’s most esteemed exhibits are the wall paintings from the 7th and 8th centuries, vividly capturing scenes of hunts and festive revelries. The museum’s architectural design, a creation of Armenian architect Bagdasar Arzumanyan in 1970, has itself become a historical landmark, having stood for over four decades.
The Afrasiab Museum not only preserves the relics of bygone eras but also serves as a beacon of knowledge, illuminating the rich tapestry of Samarkand’s history for all who walk its halls.
Address: Samarkand, Tashkentskaya str.
Phone:(+998 66) 235-53-36
Working hours: from 09:00 a.m. to 05:00 p.m.
Closed: on Sunday
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