# Registan, Samarkand

> The Registan is Samarkand’s great square, framed on three sides by the Ulugh Beg, Sher-Dor and Tilya-Kori madrasas, built between 1417 and 1660. Foreign visitors pay **100,000 UZS** to enter (unofficial), and it is open daily — roughly 8:00–19:00 in summer and 9:00–17:00 in winter. Allow 1.5 hours, then come back after dark: the light show is free to watch from the steps outside.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/registan

- City: [Samarkand](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand), Uzbekistan
- YesGo score: 57/100 (Yes, go)
- Time on site: 1 h 30 min
- Entry: 100,000 UZS for foreign visitors
- With kids: Fine with kids
- Entrance (foreign visitors): 100,000 UZS — one ticket for all three madrasas
- Hours: Daily; summer ≈ 8:00–19:00, winter ≈ 9:00–17:00
- Re-entry: Not allowed on the same ticket, according to unofficial reports
- Light show: Evenings, around 20:00–21:00; paused in deep winter
- Free viewing: From the viewing-platform steps on Registan Street
- Payment: Cash in som is safest; foreign cards don't always work
- Time needed: 1–1.5 hours by day, plus 30–40 minutes in the evening
- Address: Registon ko‘chasi (Registan Street), central Samarkand
- Coordinates: 39.65472, 66.97556
- Facts checked: 30.10.2026

## Key facts

- **1417–1420** — Ulugh Beg Madrasa built — the oldest on the square (source: English and Russian Wikipedia: Registan)
- **1619–1636** — Sher-Dor Madrasa built, with its tiger mosaics (source: English and Russian Wikipedia: Registan, Sher-Dor Madrasa)
- **1646–1660** — Tilya-Kori Madrasa built, with its gilded mosque (source: English and Russian Wikipedia: Registan, Tilya-Kori Madrasa)
- **2001** — inscribed with ‘Samarkand – Crossroad of Cultures’ on the UNESCO World Heritage List (no. 603) (source: English and Russian Wikipedia: Registan)
- **‘Place of sand’** — the meaning of ‘Registan’ in Persian (source: English and Russian Wikipedia: Registan)
- **Yalangtush Bahadur** — the governor of Samarkand who commissioned Sher-Dor and Tilya-Kori (source: Russian Wikipedia: Registan (Samarkand); English Wikipedia: Sher-Dor Madrasa, Tilya-Kori Madrasa)
- **Ulugh Beg** — Timur’s astronomer grandson lectured in his own madrasa (source: English Wikipedia: Registan; Russian Wikipedia: Ulugh Beg Madrasa (Samarkand))
- **Tigers and suns** — the Sher-Dor portal shows big cats with rising suns on their backs (source: English and Russian Wikipedia: Registan, Sher-Dor Madrasa)
- **‘Gilded’** — the meaning of Tilya-Kori — its mosque hall is covered in gold leaf (source: English and Russian Wikipedia: Registan)
- **1932** — a leaning minaret of the Ulugh Beg Madrasa was straightened to a design by engineer Vladimir Shukhov (source: Russian Wikipedia: Ulugh Beg Madrasa (Samarkand); English Wikipedia: Vladimir Shukhov)

## Registan entrance fee and how to pay

Foreign visitors pay **100,000 UZS** (Uzbek som) for one ticket that covers all three madrasas and their courtyards. That figure is consistent across several independent sources from late 2025 through 2026, but the official museum-reserve price list wasn’t reachable, so treat it as unofficial. Uzbek citizens pay much less.

Pay in **cash, in som**. The ticket desk reportedly has a card terminal, and Visa and Mastercard often work, but not always — don’t rely on it. ATMs at banks in central Samarkand dispense som, and bank exchange offices change US dollars and euros.

The ticket desk is at the entrance on Registan Street. Local guides wait just to the right of it if you want the stories behind the tiles.

> **One entry per ticket** According to recent unofficial reports, the ticket is no longer valid for a second entry the same day. Decide whether you want the madrasas in daylight or at golden hour — and watch the evening show for free from the steps outside the fence.

## What time is the Registan light show?

After sunset the three façades are lit up, and a 20–25-minute sound-and-light show is projected onto them. There is no published official schedule. Unofficial reports put the lights on around 20:00 in summer, the show at about 20:30 and a laser show around 21:00. When the coloured floodlights go dark, it is about to start.

You don’t need a ticket: tiered steps by the viewing platform on Registan Street, facing Tilya-Kori, work like a small amphitheatre. Inside the fence you are closer, but you need an entrance ticket.

The show takes a winter break — last season there was none from 21 November to 20 February — and it is cancelled on concert nights. If you’re visiting in late autumn, ask your hotel whether it’s on tonight.

## Is the Registan worth it?

Yes — it is the one sight in Samarkand you shouldn’t skip. The scale of three monumental portals facing each other works even if you have little interest in history. The real highlights are the gilded mosque inside Tilya-Kori and the tiger portal of Sher-Dor, so do go inside rather than just photographing the façades from the street.

It is less worth paying for at midday in July, when the paving bakes and there’s no shade. In that case view it free from the platform, come back early next morning and spend the hot hours in [Gur-e-Amir](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/gur-e-amir).

## What to see inside the three madrasas

- **Ulugh Beg Madrasa** (left as you face the square) — the oldest, built 1417–1420. Look up at the portal: its mosaic stars form a night sky, fitting for an astronomer’s college. Inside is a courtyard of student cells and a small exhibition.
- **Sher-Dor Madrasa** (right) — the ‘tiger madrasa’. Striped big cats with rising suns on their backs fill the portal — a rare image of living creatures on an Islamic building and now a symbol of Samarkand.
- **Tilya-Kori Madrasa** (centre) — walk through the courtyard to the mosque, where the walls and dome are covered in gold leaf and fine painting. This is the best interior on the square.
- **The courtyards** — former student cells now house craft shops selling ceramics, suzani embroidery and miniatures. Browsing is free; bargaining is expected.
- **The viewing platform** — the only place where all three façades fit into one frame.

## How to get to the Registan

1. The Registan is the centre of Samarkand, on Registan Street. From most hotels in the old town it’s a 5–15-minute walk.
2. From Samarkand airport or the railway station (where the fast Afrosiyob trains from Tashkent arrive), take a taxi with the Yandex Go app — about 15–20 minutes. Every driver knows ‘Registan’.
3. City buses and marshrutka minibuses stop on Registan Street by the square; check the route in Yandex Go or ask the driver.
4. Start at the viewing platform opposite Tilya-Kori for the full view; the ticket desk is next to the entrance gate.
5. From here it’s about 10 minutes on foot to Gur-e-Amir and about 15 minutes along the pedestrian street to the [Bibi-Khanym Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/bibi-khanym-mosque).

> **Dress code and what to wear** There is no strict dress check at the gate, but Tilya-Kori contains a mosque. Covered shoulders and knees are respectful, and a light scarf is handy for women. Wear comfortable shoes — lots of steps and smooth stone that gets very hot in summer.

## Best time to visit the Registan

Come right at opening for the emptiest courtyards — tour groups arrive towards midday. Photographers should note that the Sher-Dor portal is in shade in the morning; the hour or so before sunset gives the warmest light on all three façades. Then stay for the illumination after dark.

Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) are the most comfortable seasons. Summer afternoons are fiercely hot, and in winter the show may be off.

## Before you go: checklist

- [ ] Som in cash for the ticket
- [ ] Decided: daytime or golden hour (one entry per ticket)
- [ ] Allowed 1–1.5 hours for the three madrasas
- [ ] Shoulders and knees covered for the Tilya-Kori mosque
- [ ] Asked the hotel whether the light show is on tonight
- [ ] Water and a hat in summer — no shade on the square

## Registan vs Gur-e-Amir vs Shah-i-Zinda

|  | Registan | Gur-e-Amir | Shah-i-Zinda |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| What it is | Three 15th–17th-century madrasas | Timur’s mausoleum | Avenue of mausoleums |
| Best for | Scale and portals | Gilded hall and tomb | Tilework up close |
| Evening | Illumination and show | Lit up, quiet | No show |
| Time needed | 1–1.5 h | 30–45 min | ≈ 1 h |
| Walk from the Registan | — | ≈ 10 min | ≈ 25 min |

With one day in Samarkand, the Registan is a must; [Shah-i-Zinda](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/shah-i-zinda) and Gur-e-Amir come next. Each site has its own ticket.

## Samarkand’s historic sights compared

Every historic site in Samarkand rated by YesGo.

- [Gur-e-Amir](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/gur-e-amir) — YesGo score 59/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · ≈ UZS 75,000, unofficial
- [Registan](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/registan) — YesGo score 57/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · 100,000 UZS for foreign visitors
- [Bibi-Khanym Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/bibi-khanym-mosque) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · ≈ UZS 75,000, unofficial
- [Shah-i-Zinda](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/shah-i-zinda) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ 50,000 som for foreigners
- [Amir Timur Monument](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/samarkand-amir-timur-monument) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 15 min · Free
- [Tomb of Saint Daniel](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/tomb-of-saint-daniel) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · ≈ UZS 30,000–40,000, unofficial
- [Ulugh Beg Observatory](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/ulugh-beg-observatory) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · UZS 40,000–75,000 (unofficial)
- [Hazrat Khizr Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/hazrat-khizr-mosque) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free, donations welcome
- [Afrasiab Museum](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/afrasiab-museum) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ UZS 40,000–80,000 (unofficial)

## Old Samarkand in one day

Timur’s tomb in the morning, the Registan by day, then a walk through the old town to Bibi-Khanym and the bazaar, ending at Shah-i-Zinda. YesGo fits in the timing and walks.

1. [Gur-e-Amir](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/gur-e-amir) — YesGo score 59/100 (Yes, go) · 45 min · ≈ UZS 75,000, unofficial
2. [Registan](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/registan) — YesGo score 57/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 30 min · 100,000 UZS for foreign visitors
3. [Bibi-Khanym Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/bibi-khanym-mosque) — YesGo score 49/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · ≈ UZS 75,000, unofficial
4. [Siab Bazaar](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/siab-bazaar) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free entry
5. [Shah-i-Zinda](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/shah-i-zinda) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · ≈ 50,000 som for foreigners

## Good to know

Bukhara also has a Registan — the square in front of the Ark fortress — but the famous three-madrasa ensemble is in Samarkand. Registan is also the name of a desert in southern Afghanistan, and of many hotels and cafés in Samarkand that have nothing to do with the square.

## Tips

- Arrive at opening for quiet courtyards; groups turn up around midday.
- Want both day and night? Buy a daytime ticket and watch the evening show free from the steps.
- A hotel within walking distance lets you do the morning visit and the evening illumination without a taxi.
- Hire a guide at the gate — without the stories of Ulugh Beg and the tigers, the square is just a beautiful backdrop.
- Shops in the madrasa cells quote in dollars; convert to som before you agree a price.
- In summer, skip the midday heat on the open square and come back in the late afternoon.

## Questions

### How much is the Registan entrance fee?

100,000 UZS for foreign visitors, one ticket for all three madrasas — an unofficial figure reported consistently through 2025–2026. Uzbek citizens pay much less. Bring cash in som.

### What are the Registan opening hours?

Daily, roughly 8:00–19:00 in summer and 9:00–17:00 in winter. No official schedule is published online, so we mark these hours as unofficial.

### What time is the light show at the Registan?

After dark: in summer the lights come on around 20:00, the show starts about 20:30 and a laser show follows around 21:00 (unofficial). Last winter it was paused from 21 November to 20 February.

### Can you see the Registan at night for free?

Yes. The steps by the viewing platform on Registan Street, outside the fence, give a full view of the illumination and the show without a ticket.

### Is the Registan worth visiting?

Yes — it’s Samarkand’s headline sight. Go inside for the gilded mosque of Tilya-Kori and the tiger portal of Sher-Dor, not just the view from the street.

### How long do you need at the Registan?

1–1.5 hours for the three madrasas and courtyards, plus 30–40 minutes if you come back for the evening show.

### Can I pay by card at the Registan?

Sometimes. The ticket desk reportedly has a terminal and Visa or Mastercard may work, but cash in som is the only option you can count on.

### Can you re-enter the Registan with the same ticket?

Recent unofficial reports say no — one entry per ticket. Plan your daytime visit and watch the evening show from outside.

### Which madrasa has the tigers?

Sher-Dor, on the right as you face the square. Its name means ‘lion-bearing’, and its portal shows striped big cats with suns on their backs.

## How we checked

The official site of the Samarkand State Museum-Reserve returned a server error on 30.10.2026, so the price, hours and show are marked unofficial. The 100,000 UZS foreigner price matches across Saiga Tours, Sailing Stone Travel and Eurasia.travel forum reports from late 2025 into 2026; a few sources quote 50,000 or 70,000 UZS, which we don’t show. Hours differ: Sailing Stone Travel gives 8:00–19:00 in summer and 9:00–17:00 in winter, Sputnik8 9:00–18:00 all year; we show the more recent first set. Reported show times range from 20:00 to 21:00, hence the range. Sources disagree on re-entry. Card acceptance at the desk is reported by travellers but not guaranteed. Dates and history are checked against English and Russian Wikipedia; the 1932 minaret straightening comes from Russian Wikipedia, and Shukhov’s role is confirmed by his English Wikipedia article.

## Sources

- English Wikipedia: Registan, Sher-Dor Madrasa, Tilya-Kori Madrasa, Vladimir Shukhov
- Russian Wikipedia: Registan (Samarkand), Ulugh Beg Madrasa (Samarkand), Registan disambiguation page
- Wikidata: Q1373583
- Saiga Tours: ‘Samarkand increases entry fees’, July 2025 — prices for foreign visitors
- Sailing Stone Travel: ‘Samarkand: How to Visit Registan Square’, updated 2026 — price, hours, show, re-entry
- Eurasia.travel forum: Samarkand entry fees (December 2025 – April 2026) and the Registan laser show thread
- Sputnik8: Registan visitor information

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