Published on
•Updated
Share this article
In this episode of Silk Road Adventures, we discover how Ulugh Beg, a 15th-century ruler and scholar, transformed Samarkand into a centre of astronomical excellence, leaving a legacy that continues to shape modern science.
ADVERTISEMENT
Samarkand, once a bustling hub on the Silk Road, was also an epicentre of scientific discovery. In the 15th century, Ulugh Beg, a Timurid ruler and astronomer, built an advanced observatory where he recorded 1,018 stars in his Zij-i Sultani, a star catalogue used for centuries.
His observatory included the giant Fakhri sextant, an instrument so precise that it rivalled European innovations. Beyond astronomy, Ulugh Beg's madrasah in Registan Square became a pioneering institution for mathematics and science.
Today, his influence lingers - from the ruins of his observatory to the nomads in the Aydar yurt camp who still navigate by the stars, just as Silk Road travellers once did.
Share this article
Read more
