Spanish envoy soared a portal taller than any cathedral he knew—gateway to Ak-Saray,
Timur’s legendary “White Palace.” What remains today are mighty ruins, yet the story
behind them is richer than the glazed tiles that once shimmered like sapphires.

1. From Kesh to Shahrisabz: Why Timur Needed a Second Capital

Fresh from campaigns that reunited the Chagatai realm, Timur decided his
birthplace Kesh deserved a palace equal to Samarkand’s splendor. He renamed the
city Shahrisabz—“Green City”—and ordered an imperial complex that would host foreign ambassadors, display power, and immortalize his legacy.

2. Building the Dream: 50 000 Captives, 20 Years, Infinite Ambition

Architects flocked from Samarkand, Bukhara, Shiraz, Baghdad. Materials arrived
by caravan: lapis from Badakhshan, jade from Kabulistan, marble from the Kitab
hills. Fifty thousand captives dug foundations outside the medieval walls; another
twenty thousand raised Ak-Saray, while ten thousand extended new ramparts to
swallow the palace into the growing city.

3. The Palace Plan at a Glance

• Courtyard: 300-pace (≈ 230 m) marble court with central pool
• Main Portal: Estimated original height ≈ 50 m; flanked by round
  towers on octagonal plinths
• Interior: “A thousand halls” with gold-leaf ceilings & lapis walls
• Gardens: Shaded orchards, turquoise fountains scented with rosewater

4. Eyewitness: Clavijo’s 1404 Walk-Through

The Castilian envoy recorded a door of gold and azure, lion-in-sun
emblems, and chambers so lavish that even in Paris such work would be hailed
as wondrous. Elevated galleries led him through reception halls, private
apartments for Timur’s wives, and a banqueting salon opening onto perfumed
gardens.

5. Artistry in Majolica and Mosaic

The nickname “White Palace” is symbolic—ak means noble.
In reality the walls blazed sapphire-blue, turquoise, yellow and jade.
North-facing orientation let artisans blanket surfaces in flat
tile-mosaic without deep niches, creating a jewel-box effect free of harsh
sunlight. Calligraphic bands proclaiming Sultan — the shadow of God
spiral around the towers; master Muhammad-Yusuf of Tabriz signed the zig-zag
border in tiny Kufic script.

6. Legends, Myths & Loss

Night That Glowed Like Day

Chronicles say moonlight reflected so brightly that muezzins feared
losing footing on the shining walls.

Abdullah Khan’s Gallop of Envy

In the 1570s the Bukharan ruler allegedly spurred his horse toward the
distant portal, misjudged the scale, and—furious—ordered demolition to erase
Timurid glory.

Systematic Dismantling

By the 18th century villagers mined glazed bricks for new homes; only
the portal’s flanking pylons survived. Soviet archaeologists later cleared
mud-brick farm buildings that had grown against the ruins.

7. Visiting Ak-Saray Today

Photography Tips

• Best light: 17 30 – 18 30 for warm raking sun on tilework.
• Lens kit: 16 mm wide prime to capture the arch; 24–70 mm for details.

Pair It with Nearby Highlights

Combine the portal with Dor-us Saodat and Kok-Gumbaz for a half-day
Timurid loop. Our Shahrisabz Day Tour covers all three.

8. Conservation & Responsible Travel

Please stay on marked paths, avoid climbing brickwork, and support local
conservation by hiring certified guides. Every ticket helps fund ongoing
stabilization of the fragile masonry.