Shakhrisabz - Ak Saray Palace

Ak-Saray Palace in Shakhrisabz – The Emerald City and a legacy of Amir Temur

Shakhrisabz, the ‘green city’, is one of the oldest and historically most important cities in Uzbekistan. Nestled in lush gardens and surrounded by majestic mountains, Shakhrisabz has expanded beyond its medieval borders, but its soul remains alive in the glorious creations of 14th and 15th century architects. Among these buildings, the Ak-Saray Palace stands out in particular – a symbol of the power and splendour of Amir Temur, the legendary conqueror and ruler.

Shakhrisabz – the hometown of Amir Temur
Shakhrisabz is primarily associated with Amir Temur (Tamerlan), who was born here in 1336. This city not only served as his birthplace, but also as a symbol of his vision and power. He wanted to transform Shakhrisabz into a centre of architecture and culture that would surpass even the most magnificent cities of the time.

A country, city or village often becomes known for an outstanding historical landmark or event. For Shakhrisabz, this landmark is undoubtedly the Ak-Saray Palace, Temur’s most ambitious building project. The name ‘Ak-Saray’ means ‘White Palace’, referring to its once dazzlingly radiant appearance.

The construction of the Ak-Saray Palace – a marvel of architecture
Construction of the Ak-Saray Palace began in 1380 and took more than two decades. Temur had 50,000 captive craftsmen, engineers and artists from various regions of his vast empire – including Khorezm, Iran, Iraq and northern India – brought to Shakhrisabz.

The palace was built on a barren field to make it visible from afar. Temur wanted this building to be the largest and most magnificent in the world – an unrivalled symbol of his rule. There is even a legend that says that golden sand was used for the first bricks of the royal building to emphasise its splendour.

Legends surrounding the construction of the Ak-Saray Palace
Numerous legends surround the construction of the Ak-Saray, reflecting the genius of the architects of the time and the determination of Amir Temur.

The test of the ruler’s determination
One of the most famous stories tells of the chief architect whom Temur summoned to realise his vision of an unprecedented palace. The architect asked for permission to enter the treasury and began making blocks for the foundation out of clay mixed with gold.

When he saw that Temur did not hesitate to use these precious blocks for the construction, he broke them and took the gold back to the treasury. When Temur asked him in astonishment why he did this, the architect replied:

“I wanted to make sure that your resolve to build this magnificent structure was unshakeable. Such a work requires immense resources and dedication.”

These words impressed the ruler, who then provided all available funds for the construction.

The disappearance of the architect and the hanging chain
Another fascinating legend says that after the main construction work was completed, Temur waited impatiently for the masters to begin the ornate decoration of the palace. However, the decoration with mosaics and majolica was delayed for an unusually long time.

When Temur angrily sent for the master builder, it turned out that he had disappeared. All that remained was a hanging chain dangling right in the centre of the monumental main entrance.

Some time passed before the architect suddenly reappeared. Only now did he begin the elaborate decoration of the palace. Temur demanded an explanation for his mysterious disappearance. The architect replied:

“I dared not disobey the ruler’s order. But such a magnificent building must first settle and become firmly anchored in the ground, otherwise all the decoration would be destroyed. I waited until the building stabilised.”

This clever foresight impressed Temur, who praised the master for his ingenuity. As a reminder of this episode, Temur had the famous inscription chiselled into the portal of the palace:

“If you doubt our power, look at our buildings.”

The immense dimensions of the Ak-Saray Palace
The sheer size of the palace was extraordinary, even for the time. Research and archaeological investigations have revealed that the front courtyard alone was 250 metres long and 125 metres wide – an area comparable to that of a modern football pitch.

The main portal, which was crowned by arched battlements, reached a height of 70 metres, which is roughly the height of a twenty-storey building.

The corner towers were even more impressive and are said to have been at least 80 metres high. The entrance arch, one of the most imposing structures of its time, had a span of over 22 metres and was adorned with elaborate mosaics and majolica decorations.

The impressive accounts of contemporaries
One of the most important descriptions of the palace comes from Gonzalez de Clavijo, the ambassador of the Castilian king, who visited the Ak-Saray Palace in August 1404. In his notes, he described the palace as one of the most magnificent pieces of architecture he had ever seen:

“The palace has a very long entrance and very high gates. To the right and left were brick arches decorated with tiles in various patterns. Under these arches were small rooms without doors, with ornately tiled floors. These were used to seat people when the ruler was present.”

Behind the main gate was another one that led to a large courtyard. This was paved with white marble slabs and surrounded by richly decorated galleries. In the centre of the courtyard was a large pond that reflected the entire architecture and created an atmosphere of luxury and harmony.

“Through this courtyard one entered the largest room of the palace, which had a huge and high door, decorated with gold, azure and tiles, all masterfully crafted. Above this door was an image of a lion facing the sun – the symbol of the ruler of Samarkand.”

The function of the palace – centre of power and culture
The Ak-Saray Palace not only served as a place of residence and recreation for the ruler, but was also an important administrative centre of the empire.

• In the centre of the courtyard was a domed hall in which the divan, the state council, met.
• On either side of the main hall were smaller rooms that were used for the consultations of the highest dignitaries of the empire – the tavajibeks and divanbeks.
• The harem, which was decorated with luxurious ornaments and magnificent mosaics, was particularly impressive.
• In front of the harem was a shady garden, criss-crossed by ponds with ornate tiling.

An extraordinary architectural highlight was a hauz (water reservoir) on the roof of the palace. From there, a cascade-like water flow fed a complex system of streams and fountains – a technical masterpiece for the 14th century.

The water was brought in via a lead channel from the Takhtakaracha mountain pass, which did the engineering skills of the Timurid period the highest honour.

The decline of the Ak-Saray Palace
Although the Ak-Saray Palace was built for eternity, it fell victim to political instability and power struggles in Central Asia.

Tradition attributes its destruction to the Emir of Bukhara, Abdullakhan II, who ordered the magnificent buildings of Temur and his descendants to be destroyed during a siege of Shakhrisabz.

Despite this targeted devastation, the palace could not be completely wiped out. Over the centuries, it continued to decay until only the monumental pylons and part of the main arch remained in the 19th century.

The last remaining relics – pylons and mosaics
Today, all that remains of what was once the largest palace in Central Asia are two colossal pylons that once flanked the main entrance portal.

• Even in their ruined state today, these pylons still reach a height of 38 metres.
• The original monumental arch, which collapsed around 200 years ago, was the largest of its kind in Central Asia.
• The span of the arch was 22.5 metres – a masterpiece of medieval engineering.
• The artistic mosaic, which can still be seen on the ruins today, impresses with its intricate and complex colour palette.

The surviving parts of the palace are so monumental that even today they are roughly the height of an eighteen-storey building.

The Ak-Saray Palace as a symbol of power and culture
The construction of the Ak-Saray Palace was part of Amir Temur’s vision to establish Shakhrisabz not only as the political but also the spiritual capital of Mawara’unnahr.

In addition to the palace, Temur also had the important memorial complexes Dorus-Saodat and Dorut-Tilovat built. These were intended to further underpin the spiritual and cultural significance of the city and strengthen it as a centre of Islamic scholarship.

Restoration work and UNESCO World Heritage Site
Today, archaeologists and historians are working to restore and stabilise the pylons of the palace portal in order to preserve the last remnants of this grandiose structure for posterity.

Shakhrisabz was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, and the Ak-Saray Palace remains one of the most important historical sites in Uzbekistan.

The Ak-Saray Palace was far more than just an architectural masterpiece – it was a symbol of Amir Temur’s limitless power and unflagging ambition.

Although only ruins remain, the sheer size of this building still impresses today. Visitors to Shakhrisabz can marvel at the remains of a palace that was once considered the most magnificent building in Central Asia – an immortal testimony to a glorious era.

In addition to the Ak-Saray Palace, Shakhrisabz is home to other important buildings, including:

• The Dorut-Tilovat Complex, a mausoleum and a madrasah where Temur’s father was buried.
• The Dorus Saodat Mausoleum, where Temur’s eldest son Jahangir was originally buried.
• The Kok Gumbaz Mosque, a magnificent mosque from the time of Ulugh Beg, Temur’s grandson.

Anyone travelling to Uzbekistan should definitely visit Shakhrisabz and the Ak-Saray Palace to experience the history, legends and everlasting glory of this unique city at first hand.