Ubiquitously Uzbekistan – Ulug Bek’s Legacy
We woke up to a rainy morning in Samarkand. I had my Uzbek breakfast early in the morning and watched the rain as I ate. The weather was cool, perhaps in the low 20’s. We were going to see the Sha-I-Zinda that day, as the climax of our stay in Samarkand. It was also our very last full day in Samarkand.
I sat in the courtyard in a gloomy mood wondering if we would be able to make it out at all, given this rain.
Surely, we had not expected this rain. Originally, we had a few things in mind. We first wanted to see some lesser-known sites within the city. My suggestion was to visit the so-called “European Town.” There is a Russian orthodox church in that area. Since I did not get to see the biggest cathedral in Tashkent, seeing some Christian presence in Samarkand would be a nice change of scenery for us.
Then I heard that the Ulug Bek Observatory was worth a visit. My friend said that the rain would stop soon, and the afternoon would greet us with sunshine. I was not as hopeful as she was, but indeed that has been the pattern for the weather in Uzbekistan as far as we could observe in our first few days there.
We decided to head out in the very late morning. There was still quite a bit of a drizzle, but we could not wait further.
The Church of St. Alexius Metropolitan of Moscow
According to Sophie Ibbotson, “to the west of the Timurid city is the Russian quarter, also known as the European Town, laid out at the end of the 19th century. It has been listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 2001; nevertheless, it is under threat from developers abetted by the city authorities.”
In terms of European architecture, we could not tell if any of the buildings we saw were in fact historic buildings, or simply structures that looked different from typical modern Uzbek buildings or just buildings constructed with a European front without a history of European presence.
Surely, however, we did find the Church of St. Alexius Metropolitan of Moscow, a street away from the tree-lined University Boulevard on Abdurahmon Jomiy Street.
We entered via the side porch. It shows a pointed dark green top with two columns in salmon pink. That is an unusual color for any church in my opinion.
We went on Easter Sunday (on the Gregorian calendar). There was no service, but the church was open and we could tour inside. There were nice stained glass windows throughout and the space was filled with peace. The ceiling was lined with white toned tiles with blue patterns. Many of the relics inside the church showed a golden tone.
As an orthodox church it felt markedly different from the many, many mosques that we visited in Uzbekistan. Its presence does show that Uzbekistan is a country of diversity, and that it continues to accommodate many kinds of faith.
I was not able to find established sources about the history of this church, but on Tripadvisor a very knowledgeable visitor explained some of this church’s history:
The church construction in 1912 was supervised by architect F Verzhbitsky and a military engineer, Smirnov, from St. Petersburg. It was intended to be a military church for the Russian garrison in Samarkand. During Soviet times the bell tower was removed and upper chapel section demolished. The church underwent major reconstruction after being returned to the community in 1992. The temple is dedicated to Saint Alexius who ruled Moscow for a short period as advisor to the young Czar, and was appointed bishop of Moscow in 1354. St. Alexius is one of six churches in Samarkand.
The Chinese Garden of Samarkand
Before reaching the Church of St. Alexius Metropolitan of Moscow, we passed by the Chinese Garden, which clearly pays tribute to Confucius and the teachings that he advocated in the Analects.
The gateway, the bronze urns, and the covered pavilion corridor all seemed authentic. It could have been just about any park in China. We found it quite amazing.
After a tour in this part of the town, we took a taxi and arrived at the Ulug Bek Observatory.
The Ulug Bek Observatory
Ulug Bek constructed the Ulug Bek Observatory during the 1420s. It was destroyed in 1449. A Russian scientist V. K. Vyatkin studied the archived documents about the observatory. He excavated the site in 1908, and since 1948 the preserved ruins of the Observatory have been open for visits.
As a heritage site, the Ulug Bek Observatory offers only a quick one-minute look. Only the trench was excavated and preserved, and that was amazing in its own right. The original Observatory consisted of three stories, the upper two of which were for the purpose of observing the celestial bodies. The Complex Museum of Mirzo Ulugbek offers perhaps the most comprehensive historic description of his life and contributions in science. Therefore it is worth a visit.
The Astronomer King
Ulug Bek, meaning the “Grand Duke,” was born Muhammad Taragay in 1394 to Shah Rukh, who is the son of Amir Timur. Amir Timur saw Ulug Bek’s promise at a young age and he groomed Ulug Bek himself. His father gave him the governance of the kingdom’s capital at Samarkand, while his father ruled Persia from Herat.
The most notable quality of Ulug Bek was his learned nature. He was an established scientist in his lifetime, especially in the field of astronomy.
Endearingly known as the “astronomer king,” Ulug Bek has made significant contribution by the publication of his Zij table. The Zij table “is an astronomical table that is made up of numerical tables and explanations that allow astronomers to compute any problems they encounter. It should provide enough information that they can understand how to measure time and how to compute the positions of planets and stars.” (The Wikipedia on the Ulug Beg Observatory). According to Calum Macleod, Ulug Bek “plotted the coordinates of 1,018 stars … devised rules for predicting eclipses and measured stellar year to within one minute of modern electronic calculations.”
The Zij Table and generally Ulug Bek’s work in astronomy has had worldwide influence. From the east to the west, scholars in China, Korea, Turkey and Europe learned and debated his work, and made additional commentaries.
Photos: the trench in the Ulug Bek Observatory is the only original ruins that remains
His scholarly efforts have ushered in the cultural renaissance during the Timurid dynasty. As such, Ulug Bek’s legacy is reflected first and foremost in the institutes of learning. The Ulug Bek Madrassa of Samarkand in the Registan being one of the major constructions that he undertook, he was also the education patron for the scientific learning that took place there. Students seeking admissions in the Ulug Bek Madrassa in Samarkand had to first pass an examination. Ulug Bek himself personally participated in this examination process. He has furthermore built the Ulug Bek Madrassa in Bukhara, for which I will write about in a later entry.
As a statesman, Ulug Bek did also engage in military expeditions to secure the borders of the Timurid Dynasty. In 1425, he led troops to Mongolia and defeated the Mongolian troops led by Amir Ibrokhim and Jakhonshoh. However, he was generally not able to secure a strong rule as the king. In 1449, his son Abd al-Latif seized him after defeating him in a few battles. Ulug Bek was eventually beheaded by this same son when he was purportedly sent to Mecca for a pilgrimage. The Ulug Bek Observatory, as his major legacy, met the same fate of near-complete destruction.
Ulug Bek’s burial is also at the Gur-I-Amir in Samarkand, a dynastic burial for the Timurids that he himself oversaw.
Sources
Sophie Ibbotson, Uzbekistan, Bradt Travel Guide (2020).
Calum Macleod, Uzbekistan: the Golden Road to Samarkand (2014).
User comment on Tripadvisor.com on the Church of St. Alexius Metropolitan of Moscow.
Descriptions on site at the Complex Museum of Mirzo Ulugbek.
The Wikipedia on Ulug Beg.
The Wikipedia on the Ulug Beg Observatory.