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{{Short description|Historical center of Samarkand, Uzbekistan}}
{{for|the desert of the same name|Registan Desert}}
{{more citations needed|date=June 2013}}
[[File:Registan square Samarkand.jpg|thumb|250px|The Registan and its three [[madrasa]]hs. From left to right: [[Ulugh Beg Madrasa|Ulugh Beg Madrasah]], [[Tilya Kori Madrasa|Tilya-Kori Madrasah]] and [[Sher-Dor Madrasa|Sher-Dor Madrasah]].]]
The '''Registan''' ({{langx|uz|Registon}}) was the heart of the city of [[Samarkand]] of the [[Timurid Empire]], now in [[Uzbekistan]]. The name ''Rēgistan'' ({{langx|fa|ریگستان}}) means "sandy place" or "desert" in [[Persian language|Persian]]. The three madrasahs of the Registan ensemble were built under the [[Janid dynasty|Uzbek Janid]] and [[Timurid dynasty|Timurid dynasties]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Samarkand {{!}} Silk Roads Programme |url=https://en.unesco.org/silkroad/content/samarkand?utm_source=chatgpt.com |access-date=2025-11-05 |website=en.unesco.org}}</ref>

The Registan was a [[Town square|public square]], where people gathered to hear royal proclamations, heralded by blasts on enormous copper pipes called ''dzharchis'' — and a place of public executions. It is framed by three [[madrasa]]hs (Islamic schools) of distinctive [[Islamic architecture|Islamic]] and [[Muqarnas|Muqarnas style architecture]] (Arabic Muslim Style). The square was regarded as the hub of the [[Timurid Renaissance]].

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==Madrasahs==
The three madrasahs of the Registan are the Ulugh Beg Madrasah (1417–1420), the Sher-Dor Madrasah (1619–1636), and the Tilya-Kori Madrasah (1646–1660). ''[[Madrasah]]'' is an Arabic term meaning school. The madrassas of the Registan is written on [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Chagatai language|Chagatai Turkic]] and [[Arabic]]. <ref>{{Cite web |title=6 |url=https://www.vostlit.info/Texts/Dokumenty/M.Asien/XVII/1600-1620/Dok_buchar_agrar_17_19/1-20/6.htm |access-date=2025-10-21 |website=www.vostlit.info}}</ref>
[[File:Registan maquette.jpg|thumb|[[Maquette]] of the Registan Square, which is located in the center of Samarkand city, at the UN headquarters in New York City.]]

===Ulugh Beg Madrasah (1417–1420)===
The [[Ulugbek Madrasa in Samarkand in Uzbekistan|Ulugh Beg Madrasah]], built by [[Ulugh Beg]] during the [[Timurid Empire]] era of [[Timur]], has an imposing [[iwan]] with a lancet-arch [[pishtaq]] or portal facing the square. The corners are flanked by high [[minaret]]s. The mosaic panel over the iwan's entrance arch is decorated by geometrical stylized ornaments. The square [[courtyard]] includes a mosque and lecture rooms, and is fringed by the dormitory cells in which students lived. There are deep galleries along the axes. Originally the Ulugh Beg Madrasah was a two-storied building with four domed ''darskhona''s (lecture rooms) at the corners.

The Ulugh Beg Madrasah ({{langx|fa|مدرسه الغ بیگ}}) was one of the best clergy universities of the Muslim Orient in the 15th century CE. [[Jami|Abdul-Rahman Jami]], the great Persian poet, scholar, mystic, scientist and philosopher studied at the madrasah.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Mukminova|first=RG|title=The role of Islam in education in Central Asia in the 15th–17th centuries|journal=STUDIES ON CENTRAL ASIA Nuova Serie|date=2007|volume=87|series=1|pages=155–161|jstor=25818118}}</ref> Ulugh Beg himself gave lectures there. During Ulugh Beg's government the madrasah was a centre of learning.

===Sher-Dor Madrasah (1619–1636)===
[[File:Медресе Шер-Дор и Медресе Улугбека лево (Sher-Dor Madrasa and Ulugh Beg Madrasa, left side), Samarkand.jpg|thumb|Side view of [[Sher-Dor Madrasa]] and [[Ulugh Beg Madrasa]] (left)]]
In the 17th century Uzbek ruler of Samarkand, [[Yalangtoʻsh Bakhodir]], ordered the construction of the [[Sher-Dor Madrasa|Sher-Dor]] ({{langx|fa|شیردار}}) and Tillya-Kori ({{langx|fa|طلاکاری}}) madrasahs. The tiger mosaics with a rising sun on their back are especially interesting for their depiction of living beings and use of Turko-Persian motifs.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shahbaz |first=Shapur A. |date=2001 |title=Flags of Persia |url=https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/flags-i |website=Encyclopaedia Iranica}}</ref> The name of the madrasah comes from the patterns on the portal of the building as the word "Sher" means tiger.

===Tilya-Kori Madrasah (1646–1660)===
Ten years later the [[Tilya Kori Madrasa|Tilya-Kori]] ({{langx|fa|طلاکاری}}, meaning "Gilded") Madrasah was built. It was not only a residential college for students, but also played the role of grand ''masjid'' (mosque). It has a two-storied main facade and a vast courtyard fringed by dormitory cells, with four galleries along the axes. The mosque building (see picture) is situated in the western section of the courtyard. The main hall of the mosque is abundantly gilded.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="120">
File:Rajasthan3.jpg|Ulugh Beg Madrasah
File:Sher-Dor Madrasa 02.jpg|Sher-Dor Madrasah
File:Tilya-Kori Madrasa 01.jpg|Tilya Kori Madrasah
File:Registan 02.jpg|Registan at night
</gallery>

==Other buildings==

===Mausoleum of Shaybanids===
To the east of the Tilya-Kori Madrasah, the mausoleum of [[Shaybanid]]s (16th century) is located ([http://pagetour.narod.ru/samarkand/Registan/Registan_8.htm see picture]). The real founder of Shaybanid power was [[Muhammad Shaybani]]—grandson of [[Abu'l-Khayr Khan]]. In 1500, with the backing of the [[Chaghataite Khanate]], then based in [[Tashkent]], Muhammad Shaybani conquered Samarkand and [[Bukhara]] from their last [[Timurid dynasty|Timurid]] rulers. The founder of the dynasty then turned on his benefactors and in 1503 took old Tashkent. He captured [[Khiva]] in 1506 and in 1507 he swooped down on [[Merv]], eastern Persia, and western Afghanistan. The Shaybanids stopped the advance of the [[Safavid]]s, who in 1502 had defeated the [[Aq Qoyunlu|Akkoyunlu]]. Muhammad Shaybani was a leader of nomadic [[Uzbeks|Uzbek]] tribes. During the ensuing years they substantially settled down in oases of the Central Asia, Caspian shore, Tian Shan valleys, Russian steppes and Indostan. The last and vast Uzbek invasion of the 15th century CE was the large component of today's [[Uzbeks|Uzbek]] nation ethnogeny.

===Chorsu trading dome===
The trading dome [[Chorsu (Samarkand)|Chorsu]] (1785) is situated right behind the Sher-Dor. Chorsu located at southeast of the Registan at the intersection of the cross-roads connecting [[Samarkand]], [[Tashkent]], [[Bukhara]], and [[Shahrisabz]]. ''Chorsu'' is a word of [[Persian language|Persian]] origin meaning "crossing roads," referring to this famous intersection of busy roadways.  The building is old. It has a rather rich centuries-old history.  At the moment, it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List along with the rest of the historical part of the glorious city. 

Chorsu was originally a bazaar constructed in the 15th century but was rebuilt in the 18th century, becoming a hat market.<ref>[http://www.samarkand-hotels.com/samarkand/sights/chorsu-samarkand.htm Ancient Business Center "Chorsu" in Samarkand] </ref> The current building was built during the reign of Amir Shahmurad, in 1785.  Today, the bazaar which was previously located at Chorsu is nowadays the [[Siyob Bazaar]] near the [[Bibi-Khanym Mosque]].

In 2005, ownership of Chorsu was transferred to the [[Culture of Uzbekistan|Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan]]. While renovating the building, three meters of dirt were removed from the building revealing the original base construction. Chorsu now serves as an art gallery which offers the work of artists both contemporary and historical. The art of in the Chorsu gallery displays the arts, culture, history, and diversity of the multi-national Uzbek people.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="120">
Street Tashkent mausoleum Sheibanids.jpg|Mausoleum of Shaybanids
Chorsu 2015.JPG|Chorsu trading dome
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Bibi-Khanym Mosque]]
* [[Gur-e Amir]]
* [[Shah-i-Zinda]]
* [[Timurid dynasty]]
* [[Tourism in Uzbekistan]]
* [[Shayboni's hut (Samarkand)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{commons category-inline|Registan}}

{{Tourist attractions in Uzbekistan}}
{{Islamic art}}
{{Authority control}}
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[[Category:Buildings and structures in Samarkand]]
[[Category:Squares in Uzbekistan]]
[[Category:Islamic architecture in Asia]]
[[Category:Timurid architecture]]
[[Category:Madrasas in Uzbekistan]]