The Silk Road is one of the most famous trade routes across Asia. Used by Chinese and middle-eastern merchants to travel and trade for thousands of years, the network of routes is home to numerous architectural points of interest which can be visited today.
1. MINARET OF KUTLUG TIMUR
Kunya-Urgench, Turkmenistan
The trunk of this 62-metre monument is inlaid with Arabic inscriptions
2. KYZ KALA
Near Mary, Turkmenistan
Kyz Kala is an unusual windowless castle with corrugated exterior walls
3. KHUDAYAR KHAN PALACE
Kokand, Uzbekistan
Khudayar, Khan of Kokand, erected the palace citadel in 1871
4. RUINS OF NIYA
Xinjiang-Uyghur Autonomous Region, China
Niya was a prominent stop-off point along the Silk Road
5. MOGAO CAVES
Dunhuang, Gangsu, China
The enormous architectural and artistic effort involved in creating these caves spanned 10 dynasties
6. ABAKH HOJA MAUSOLEUM
Kashgar, Xinjiang, China
This mausoleum is a prime example of Islamic architecture
7. ATESHKADE
Yazd, Iran
A sacred flame has been burning here for the past 1,500 years.
8. MEIDAN EMAM
Isfahan, Iran
Meidan Ema was built by Shah Abbas I the Great in the 17th century
9. HATRA
Al-Jazīrah region, Iraq
Hatra is known as Beit ’Elāhā’, meaning “House of God”
10. SULTAN AHMED MOSQUE – THE “BLUE MOSQUE”
Istanbul, Turkey
Its six minarets were initially controversial, until a seventh minaret was added to Mecca’s Grand Mosque
For the rest of this article (Asian Geographic Issue 3/2017 No. 125) and other stories, check out our past issues here or download digital copy here.
