Origins of Shah-i-Zinda

Shah-i-Zinda is a necropolis in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, made up of mausoleums arranged along a narrow, stepped street. It grew around a venerated shrine associated with Qusam ibn Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, who according to tradition came to the region to spread Islam, which gives the complex its name, meaning the Living King. Over several centuries it became a favoured burial place for members of the ruling families, nobles and clergy, and many of its tombs were built in the era of Timur and his successors. The facades are covered in glazed tiles, mosaics and terracotta in rich blue and turquoise tones. It remains a place of pilgrimage as well as one of the finest sites of Central Asian Islamic architecture.

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