University Boulevard

About

History of Creation

The boulevard was designed and laid out in 1871–1872 by the military governor of the Samarkand Department, General A. K. Abramov. Initially it was called Abramovsky and served as the compositional axis of the city's new general plan. In the Soviet period the avenue bore the name of Maxim Gorky, and after independence and the opening of the university buildings it received its modern name — Universitetsky Boulevard.

Unique Microclimate and Park Area

Scale: The length of the boulevard is over 1,000 meters, and its width reaches 128 meters.

Flora: Along both sides of the central pedestrian alley are rows of valuable tree species: giant chinaras (oriental plane trees), oaks, chestnuts, ashes, pines and Crimean thujas. Many plane trees have passed the century mark.

Aryks: Along the alleys runs a well-designed system of stone aryks with flowing water, which, combined with dense foliage, creates a cool, life-saving microclimate even during the periods of Central Asian summer heat (chill).

Academic and Cultural Center

The boulevard is called the Samarkand "Latin Quarter". Here and on the adjacent streets are located:

Samarkand State University named after Sharof Rashidov (SamSU): The oldest and leading classical university of the region, whose buildings occupy a significant part of the even side of the boulevard (Official portal of SamSU).

Monuments and Memorials: At the beginning of the boulevard rises the majestic monument to Amir Timur (Tamerlane) seated on a throne. Further along the way are monuments to the great poet Alisher Navoi and the Persian-Tajik thinker Abdurakhman Jami.

Architectural Context: The boulevard is built up with atmospheric mansions of Samarkand fired brick in colonial modern style (former governor's residences, officers' assemblies, banks), and within walking distance from its northern edge are the world-famous mausoleums of Gur-Emir and Rukhabad.