visitHow three madrasas around one square became the most iconic image of the Silk Road.
The word Registan means "sandy place", yet this square is anything but plain. Framed by three monumental madrasas — Ulugh Beg (1420), Sher-Dor (1636) and Tilya-Kori (1660) — it forms an ensemble unmatched anywhere in the Islamic world.
Ulugh Beg Madrasa
Built by Timur's grandson, the astronomer-king Ulugh Beg, this was once a leading centre of science where astronomy and mathematics were taught.
Sher-Dor & Tilya-Kori
The Sher-Dor ("lion-bearing") madrasa is famous for the roaring tigers and rising suns on its portal, while the Tilya-Kori ("gold-covered") dazzles with its gilded prayer hall. Visit at dusk, when floodlights set the tilework ablaze.