In 2001, unesco added the city to its World Heritage List as Samarkand – Crossroads of Cultures

The Registan, one of the most relevant examples of Islamic architecture. It consists of three separate buildings:

• The Registan, one of the most relevant examples of Islamic architecture. It consists of three separate buildings:
• Madrasa of Ulugh Beg (1417–1420)
• Sher-Dor Madrasah (Lions Gate) (1619–1635/36).
• Tilya-Kori Madrasah (1647–1659/60).
• Bibi-Khanym Mosque (replica)
• Gur-e Amir Mausoleum (1404)
• Observatory of Ulugh Beg (1428–1429)
• Shah-i-Zinda necropolis
• Historical site of Afrasiyab (7th century BC–13th century AD)
• Siyob Bazaar

Samarkand features a mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa) that closely borders on a semi-arid climate with hot, dry summers and relatively wet, variable winters that alternate periods of warm weather with periods of cold weather. July and August are the hottest months of the year with temperatures reaching, and exceeding, 40 °C (104 °F). Most of the sparse precipitation is received from December through April. January 2008 was particularly cold, and the temperature dropped to −22 °C (−8 °F)[25]

• Samarkand features a mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa) that closely borders on a semi-arid climate with hot, dry summers and relatively wet, variable winters that alternate periods of warm weather with periods of cold weather. July and August are the hottest months of the year with temperatures reaching, and exceeding, 40 °C (104 °F). Most of the sparse precipitation is received from December through April. January 2008 was particularly cold, and the temperature dropped to −22 °C (−8 °F)[25]

Amoghavajra, 8th-century Buddhist monk, translator of Vajrayana scripture, figure in the Tang court, remembered as one of the three founders of Chinese esoteric Buddhism.

• Amoghavajra, 8th-century Buddhist monk, translator of Vajrayana scripture, figure in the Tang court, remembered as one of the three founders of Chinese esoteric Buddhism.
• Abu Mansur Maturidi, Sunni theologist of the 10th century
• Nizami Aruzi Samarqandi, poet and writer of the 12th century
• Suzani Samarqandi, poet of the 12th century
• Najib ad-Din-e-Samarqandi, scholar of the 13th century
• Jamshīd al-Kāshī, astronomer and mathematician of the 15th century
• Shams al-Dīn al-Samarqandī, scholar
• Nawab Khwaja Abid Siddiqi and Nawab Qaziuddin Siddiqi, grandfather and father of Mir Qamaruddin Siddiqi Asaf Jah I whose dynasty ruled Hyderabad Deccan for seven generations from 1724 to 1951
• Islam Karimov, 1st President of Uzbekistan.
• Also said to be the place of death of Muhammad b. Isma'il al-Bukhari[disambiguation needed], one of the six prominent collectors of hadith of Sunni Islam. See Sahih Bukhari