Last Updated on: 29th June 2026, 04:24 pm
Samarkand’s Registan Square stands as arguably the single most iconic landmark in all of Central Asia, and no visit to Uzbekistan is really complete without seeing it. In the following guide, we’ll be covering practical tips on visiting Registan Square, along with the history behind each of its three main structures.
Registan Square translates simply as ‘Sandy Place,’ a reference to the sand that once covered its open courtyard. In Samarkand’s heyday, people would gather here to listen to royal proclamations, while it was also once home to a bustling bazaar.
Its origins date back to the 15th century, when the governor Ulugh Beg established the first madrasa here as part of a larger institutional complex.
But by the 17th century, most of these buildings had fallen into ruin, prompting the powerful governor Yalangtush Bakhodur to undertake a massive revitalization project and the construction of two new grand madrasas.
But Registan Square is only the iconic site it is today thanks to extensive restoration efforts that went on for decades throughout the Soviet era and in post-independence Uzbekistan.
For more information on reaching Samarkand and the best places to stay, be sure to check the end of the article.
How to Visit Registan Square: Essential Info
OPENING HOURS: Registan Square is open daily from 8:00-19:00 in summer and from 9:00-17:00 in winter. During summer months, the square will be illuminated from around 20:00, while a 20-minute sound and light show commences each night from around 20:30.
Even if you don’t have a valid ticket, you can observe the show for free from a series of steps situated just outside of the ticketed area.
You may come across conflicting information online and in books, as it appears that the square itself was once accessible without a ticket. But at the time of writing, tickets are now required to even walk onto the main square.
TICKETS: Tickets currently cost 100,000 som for foreigners. Unfortunately, no re-entry is currently allowed on the same day – something that used to be possible in the past.
WHEN TO ARRIVE: While you can show up at any time you like, getting there just after opening allows you to have much of the site to yourself. But if you’d like to see the illuminated structures from up close, arriving just before sunset might also be a good idea.
All in all, expect to spend about 1-2 hours exploring the site.
The Ulugh Beg Madrasa
Ulugh Beg Madrasa (1417–1420) stands as the oldest building on Registan Square and the only survivor from the 15th century. As its name suggests, the madrasa was constructed by Ulugh Beg, the grandson of Timur, who himself ruled the great conqueror from 1370 to 1405.
While history has had its fair share of ‘philosopher kings,’ Ulugh Beg will forever be remembered as an ‘astronomer king.’
With that said, Ulugh Beg’s reign as emperor was very brief, lasting only from 1447-1449. But prior to that, he’d ruled as governor of Samarkand for decades, and this madrasa dates from that period.
The madrasa’s head architect was a man named Kavomiddin Sherozi. The imposing structure measures 56 by 81 meters, with minarets at each corner reaching up to 33 m high.
Visitors enter through an imposing iwan, or arched portal. But before stepping inside, be sure to admire the tilework of the facade and of the portal’s walls.
Above the entrance, a calligraphic quote reads ‘It is the sacred duty of every Muslim man and woman to seek out knowledge.’
You’ll then find yourself in the courtyard, which measures out to 30 x 40 m. It’s surrounded by two-story galleries which is where students stayed when the madrasa was active.
At any given time, this madrasa would have hosted around 50-80 students, who took courses on mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, and of course, religion.
The madrasa remained an active educational center until the late 17th century, after which it fell into decline and was eventually used for grain storage. That’s hard to believe when admiring it today.
But as we’ll cover shortly, much of Registan Square’s tilework was redone throughout the 20th century.
Today, aside from walking around (or relaxing on a bench) in the courtyard, visitors can access a comprehensive museum. The door happened to be closed during my visit, with no signage indicating what lay behind it. But I gently pushed it and it opened right up.
The museum details the history of education in Samarkand as a whole, along with a brief overview of the Timurid Empire and the accomplishments of Ulugh Beg.
The Timurid Empire lasted for 137 years, from 1370 until 1507. Samarkand was one of its main capitals, with the other being Herat.
But one could argue that it lived on in the Mughal Empire of India, considering how its founder, Babur, was a direct descendant of Timur. So you could say that the Timurid dynasty held power up until 1857.
Despite being of Turko-Mongol descent, the Timurids were heavily influenced by traditional Persian architecture. And given the wealth of their empire, they focused on overwhelming gigantism, as can be seen right here at Registan Square.
Note that the Ulugh Beg Observatory, which is often touted as a top highlight in Samarkand, also contains a museum with similar information.
Considering how that attraction alone currently costs 75,000 som, and how there’s hardly anything original left to see there, don’t feel bad about skipping it if you’ve already visited this museum.
The Sher Dor Madrasa
Opposite the Ulugh Beg Madrasa stands the Sher Dor Madrasa (1619–1636), commissioned by Yalangtush Bakhodur, an Uzbek Shaybanid emir and governor of Samarkand.
The madrasa was built on the site of Ulugh Beg’s original khanaka, or a Sufi gathering place, which had already greatly deteriorated.
The Sher Dor Madrasa’s most distinctive feature is the decoration of its facade. At the top of the entrance portal, figures meant to resemble lions (but that actually look more like tigers) are seen hunting deer.
Large suns with smiling faces, meanwhile, emanate from their backs as if riding them. (‘Sher Dor’ means ‘With Lions’)
Note that if you’re arriving at Registan Square in the morning, the lighting will make it difficult to get a decent direct shot of the facade.
And while re-entry used to be possible in the past, the ticket vendor informed me that it’s no longer possible with a single ticket.
Yalangtush’s architects took great care to align the Sher Dor Madrasa precisely with its predecessor across the square, creating a symmetrical mirror effect that binds the ensemble together architecturally.
Not only are the facades the same size, but the courtyards are nearly identical as well.
But for whatever reason, this building took seventeen years to complete – significantly longer than the Ulugh Beg Madrasa, which was finished in just three or four years.
But as impressive as it is from the outside, the Sher Dor Madrasa lacks a large museum like the other two madrasas at Registan Square. You will, however, find a few small exhibits, including a recreation of a student’s cell from the 19th century.
The Tilakari Madrasa
The third madrasa of the ensemble, the Tilakari Madrasa (1646–1660), was also commissioned by Yalangtush Bakhodur.
It was constructed over the ruins of a caravanserai that Ulugh Beg had established centuries earlier. But by the 17th century, it had deteriorated beyond repair, so Yalangtush decided that a grand new madrasa would take its place.
Not only would it serve as a madrasa, but also the square’s main mosque.
As with the Sher Dor Madrasa built a generation earlier, Yalangtush’s architects attempted to mirror the proportions of the Ulugh Beg Madrasa to create architectural harmony across the square.
However, they discovered that matching the exact dimensions of the earlier madrasas would have been impossible given the different site constraints. So the architects created a structure with modified proportions to maintain visual cohesion.
The name ‘Tilakari’ translates to ‘Decorated with gold,’ referring to the lavish gold leaf that adorns the mosque inside. The technique used to apply this gilding is known as kundal.
Tilakari’s dual function as both a madrasa and a congregational mosque was deemed essential considering how Bibi Khanum Mosque and Registan’s original mosque had fallen into severe disrepair by this point.
This mosque features a multi-pillared gallery with a domed hall in the center – or at least what appears to be one. Remarkably, there’s no actual dome above the center of the ceiling, yet the complex two-dimensional patterns make it look as if there really is one.
As with the Ulugh Beg Madrasa, Tilakari contains a sizeable museum. You’ll find a variety of historical objects on display here, but arguably the most interesting thing on display is the series of old photographs of what pre-restoration Samarkand looked like.
Remarkably, restoration efforts began as early as the 1920s near the start of the Soviet era. This is somewhat surprising given the Soviet Union’s atheistic ideology and its historical preference for brutalist architecture and utilitarian apartment blocks.
Yet the USSR actually played a significant role in preserving the cultural heritage of various parts of Central Asia. Specifically, an organization known as Turkomstaris was established to oversee matters of cultural heritage preservation.
And as early as 1932, they undertook a remarkable engineering feat, straightening one of the Ulugh Beg Madrasa’s minarets that had been leaning dangerously by using cables and hydraulic jacks – quite an achievement for the time.
Following World War II, the USSR carried out a full-scale restoration campaign across the entire Registan ensemble. Soviet teams not only repaired structural damage to all three madrasas, but they also undertook the ambitious project of recreating and replacing the tilework.
While this tilework was inspired by traditional regional styles, few of the tiles we see at Registan Square today predate the 20th century!
More restoration would then follow after Uzbekistan’s independence in 1991.
So is Registan Square breathtakingly gorgeous? Absolutely. But it would be a stretch to call Registan Square a ‘well-preserved’ historical site, given how it now barely resembles its pre-20th-century state.
While situated just outside the official ticketed area, next to Tilakari Madrasa is the Mausoleum of the Shaybanids, the resting place of the Uzbek dynasty’s founder Muhammad Shaybani (1451-1510).
He was the one who finally overthrew the Timurids. But as evidenced by Registan Square, his descendants would expand upon the Timurid architectural legacy.
The Sound & Light Show
As mentioned, during summer months, the square will be illuminated from around 20:00, with a 20-minute sound and light show commencing from around 20:30.
While I’m normally not into such spectacles, since I was staying within walking distance of the square, I decided to go and check it out during a free evening in Samarkand.
As mentioned, even those without valid tickets can enjoy the show from a free viewing area, with plenty of steps to sit down on.
The square does indeed look beautiful when illuminated under the normal white lights.
But once the official show started, seeing bright pink, purple, and neon green lights shining on these elegant structures seemed like sacrilege, so I decided to leave after just a couple of minutes.
Additional Info
Though it only has a fraction of Tashkent’s population with around 600,000 inhabitants, Samarkand is still a large and sprawling city. And given how spread out many of its landmarks are, you’re going to be somewhat reliant on ride hailing apps like Yandex Go regardless of where you stay.
With that said, the closer you stay to Registan Square, the better. Not only is it Samarkand’s top highlight, but staying nearby will put you in walking distance of several other (but not all) of the city’s prominent landmarks.
In contrast with Bukhara and Khiva, I struggled a bit with finding well-located and reasonably priced accommodation in Samarkand. Ultimately, I stayed at a place called Hostel Muborak, which was just 15 minutes on foot from Registan Square, and even closer to the Bibi Khanum Mosque.
Though it was actually well under my typical budget, there didn’t seem to be any other good options in the area for even double or triple the price at the time of my visit.
Unfortunately, despite its high rating on Booking, the location was the only thing I liked about Hostel Muborak. The walls were paper-thin, and on many nights people would be coming and going in the middle of the night while slamming doors. The staff completely ignored some basic questions sent via WhatsApp, and no laundry was available at the guest house. The nearest laundromat, they told me, was a ten-minute drive away.
Checking again, there do seem to be numerous other options within close distance to Registan Square that either didn’t exist, or perhaps just weren’t available at the time of my visit.
Registan Palace, Gulsara Hostel, Century Registan, and Hotel Muqaddas all have high ratings and are situated in excellent locations.
Note that when visiting Uzbekistan, you’re supposed to collect little slips of paper from each accommodation proving where you stayed and for how many nights. You may then be asked to show them when leaving the country.
A lot of hotel owners will tell you that the system is digitized now and therefore it shouldn’t matter anymore. There are also many cases where the officers won’t ask anything at all.
But the reality on the ground is that immigration officers are indeed still sometimes asking for the paper slips. And I’ve met some travelers who got themselves into trouble when they couldn’t provide them.
I entered and exited the country twice, and though I wasn’t asked anything during my first exit, I was asked during my second. Fortunately, I had them on me.
Generally speaking, Uzbekistan is one of the easier countries to travel through in Central Asia thanks to its rail network. You can easily book tickets online or via the official Uzbek Railways app.
Coming from Bukhara, you have the choice between either a regular speed train (2.5-3.5 hours) or an express ‘Afrosiyob’ train (about 1.5 hours). Numerous trains leave throughout the day.
From Tashkent, the regular train lasts around 4.5 hours, while the express train takes 2-3.
It’s also possible to travel between Samarkand and Khiva by train, with the journey lasting around 9.5 hours. I arrived in Samarkand this way via an overnight train.
It’s also possible to take a direct train from Termez, with the ride lasting 9-10 hours.