Eternal City (Silk Road Samarkand)

The Eternal City (Boqiy Shahar in Uzbek) is not a historic site. It opened in 2022 as the centrepiece of Silk Road Samarkand, a large new tourist district on the eastern edge of the city built around a rowing canal, with hotels, a congress hall and the Eternal City between them. The idea is to evoke a Silk Road town: a walkable quarter of domes, portals, arcades and courtyards in different regional styles, filled with workshops, food stalls and performances.

What you find

• Craft workshops where masters of ceramics, embroidery, woodcarving, metalwork and other crafts work and sell.
• Restaurants and tea houses serving regional dishes, often with music in the evenings.
• Performances: folk dance, music and street shows, with a large amphitheatre for evening events.
• Photo settings: wide lanes and lit facades designed to be photographed.

How to approach it

Treat it as an entertainment district rather than a monument. It is a good evening out, especially for families and for visitors who want crafts and food in one place; it does not replace the Registan or Shah-i-Zinda. The lanes are at their best after sunset, when the buildings are lit and the shows begin.

Getting there

Silk Road Samarkand is about 7–8 km east of the Registan. A taxi takes around 15–20 minutes; the international congress hall and several of the city’s largest hotels are next door, so it is convenient if you are staying in the complex.