Uzbekistan's capital (top), lying in the Zarafshan Valley, was the heart of the great silk road, surviving invasions of the conquerors including Alexander of Macedon and Genghis Khan, and its ancient core still impressing with its greatness and unique beauty. However, it was Tamerlane that made Samarkand the Pearl of the East, which for so many centuries shone like a beacon, attracting the caravans from all over the east. Nowadays the city is included in the list of the most valuable of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with highlights including Gur-Emir, Registan, Shakhi-Zinda Burial Vault, and Sher-Dor madrasah.

Read more about this fascinating country in Tripatini member Verokika Tasheva's post Uzbekistan, Heart of the Great Silk Road.