samarkand is one of the most interesting and at the same moment bizare cities i have ever been to. one can see the different layers of history within a broad spectrum. there is of course the registan, with the historical medressahs from the 14th century on. other parts of town show life from the time inbetween, a bigger part conssaits of representative european style buildings from the late 19th century, besides those the tall sowjet highrises and finally buildings from the late 90s and this century. visitors ade not meant to see any of these  architecture except for the ancient buildings and the newest architectural layer. to make sure that works, walls were errected throughout the city, around the ancient historical sights and the verey new buildings. the old town parts are hidden behind the walls and one has to search for gates to get into them. it is a like an ecclectic version of the berlin wall…
the ancient sights, which originate partly from the 13th century have been thoroughly renovated to match with the newest additions to the city. most of the sights are more or less reerrected, which is robbing them from a lot of their possible aura showing a plastic-world to western and far eastern tourists. still, once we made it behind the walls, the city is one of the more beautiful and lively ones, with streetlife, little shops and open doors to inner courtyard gardens.