Timur began Ak-Saray Palace in 1380, and an information plate on the gate gives its completion as 1404, shortly before his death. The envoy Ruy González de Clavijo visited in 1404 and noted the work was unfinished. The article says Timur wanted Shahrisabz to replace Samarkand as his capital, a claim it tags as needing a citation.
The surviving portal pylons are about 125 feet (38 m) high, and the portal vault spans about 72 feet (22 m). The main courtyard was arcaded, and about 400 by 800 feet (120 by 240 m). The facade has large patterns of glazed bricks in ocher, dark blue and light blue.
Forces of Abdullah Khan II of Bukhara destroyed the palace in the 16th century. Conservation took place from 1994 to 1998. UNESCO listed the historic center of Shakhrisyabz in 2000.
Comments