# Tomb of Saint Daniel, Samarkand > The Tomb of Saint Daniel (Khoja Doniyor Mausoleum) is a shrine on the edge of ancient Afrasiab where, by tradition, relics of the prophet Daniel lie under an **18-metre** grave. Allow **about 40 minutes**. Entry is **around UZS 30,000–40,000** (unofficial), and it opens daily, roughly 8:00–18:00. It is a 10-minute taxi ride from the Registan. Web page: https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/tomb-of-saint-daniel - City: [Samarkand](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand), Uzbekistan - YesGo score: 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 40 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: ≈ UZS 30,000–40,000 for foreign visitors — unofficial; no official fare is published - Hours: Daily, about 8:00–18:00 - Closed: No weekly closing day - Payment: Bring cash in som — foreign cards don’t always work at small ticket desks - Dress: Cover shoulders and knees; women may want a scarf. Be ready to take off your shoes at the hall - Address: Islom Karimov Street 7, on the north-east edge of Afrasiab hill - From the Registan: ≈ 2.6 km as the crow flies: 10 minutes by taxi or about 45 minutes on foot - From the Afrasiab Museum: ≈ 450 m, a 10–15-minute walk - Time needed: About 40 minutes - Coordinates: 39.67331, 66.99451 - Facts checked: 02.11.2026 ## Key facts - **≈ 18 m** — length of the grave — legend says it grows with the saint (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Orexca; Advantour; Uzbekistan.travel) - **3 faiths** — Muslims revere him as Khoja Doniyor, Christians as the prophet Daniel, Jews as Daniel (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Orexca) - **Susa** — the city in Iran from which, in legend, Timur took part of the relics (source: Orexca; Uzbekistan.travel; GlobalConnect) - **5 domes** — low, in a row over the long rectangular building (source: Russian Wikipedia; Advantour; Turkestan Travel; Orexca) - **Early 1900s** — the present building went up; it has been rebuilt several times since (source: Russian Wikipedia; Turkestan Travel; GlobalConnect) - **1996** — Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow visited and blessed a withered pistachio tree by the tomb (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Orexca) - **Spring** — below the hill; pilgrims believe the water heals (source: Russian Wikipedia; Orexca; Uzbekistan.travel) - **2001** — listed by UNESCO as part of “Samarkand – Crossroad of Cultures” (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Companion of Qusam** — in Abu Tahir Khoja’s book Samariya, Khoja Doniyor is a companion of Qusam ibn Abbas (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **Onyx and marble** — face the grave, which is kept under a cloth (source: English Wikipedia; Indian Vagabond) - **Siab river** — runs at the foot of the hill (source: Advantour; Russian Wikipedia; Nomad's Land) > **A working shrine: dress modestly** Pilgrims of three faiths pray here. Cover your shoulders and knees; women will feel more at ease with a light scarf. Keep your voice down in the hall, don’t photograph people at prayer up close, and don’t lean on the railing around the grave. Be ready to take off your shoes before entering. ## What is the Tomb of Saint Daniel? It is a long, low building with five small domes on the north-east edge of **Afrasiab**, the hill where ancient Samarkand stood. Inside is a single grave about 18 metres long. Muslims call the saint Khoja Doniyor (or Daniyar), Christians the prophet Daniel, Jews Daniel — and all three see him as the same man. The present building dates from the early 20th century and has been repaired and rebuilt several times. The shrine itself is much older in local memory, tied by tradition to Timur. Since 2001 it has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Samarkand – Crossroad of Cultures”. Searching online? Don’t mix it up with the Tomb of Daniel in Susa (Shush), Iran, or the one in Kirkuk, Iraq. This page is about the Samarkand shrine above the Siab river. ## Entry fee and opening hours There is no official price list. Unofficially, foreign visitors paid **UZS 30,000** in 2025, and **UZS 40,000** is quoted for autumn 2026; Uzbek citizens pay less. It is one of the cheapest tickets in town — less than the [Registan](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/registan) or the observatory. The shrine is open **every day**, roughly 8:00 to 18:00. Hours may shift on religious holidays. Pay in cash: Uzbek som is what small ticket desks expect, and foreign Visa or Mastercard cards don’t always go through. Withdraw som in the centre — don’t count on an ATM by the shrine. ## Is Daniel really buried here? Nobody can say, and no serious source pretends otherwise. The best-known legend says **Timur** besieged Susa again and again without success. Local wise men told him the city was protected by the relics of the prophet Daniel, so Timur struck a deal: he would spare the city and take part of the relics to Samarkand to guard his own capital. Another version has the caravan stopping on the bank of the Siab, where the horse carrying the relics refused to go further — and that is where the tomb stands. Accounts disagree on what lies inside: the saint’s arm, a larger part of the remains, or a handful of earth from his grave. A Muslim tradition tells a different story: in Abu Tahir Khoja’s book Samariya, Khoja Doniyor is a companion of Qusam ibn Abbas, the saint of [Shah-i-Zinda](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/shah-i-zinda). Historians see the Timur story as a late legend. For the pilgrims who come here, it hardly matters. ## Why is the grave 18 metres long? The grave runs almost the whole length of the hall. There are three explanations, all of them traditions. One says the saint keeps growing after death, so the keepers lengthened the grave more than once. Another says its size reflects the prophet’s greatness. The most practical one: it was made long so that no one could tell where the relics lay and steal them. The grave is faced with onyx and black marble, but a cloth embroidered with Arabic script usually covers it, so what you see is the shape: long, level and running through the white hall. ## What to see - **The grave hall** — long and bright, lit from the door and latticed windows. Walk the full length of the grave to take in its size. - **The five domes** — best seen from the stairs as you come up. - **The pistachio tree** by the crypt. Patriarch Alexy II blessed it in 1996 when it had withered; local tradition says it came back to life. - **The spring** below the hill, under a small pavilion. Pilgrims drink the water and fill bottles to take home. - **The view over the Siab** and the green valley below — a quiet spot to sit for a few minutes. - **The square at the foot of the hill**, with souvenir stalls and a café for a break before the observatory. ## How to get to the Tomb of Saint Daniel 1. Start at the Registan: the tomb is about 2.6 km away as the crow flies. The easy option is a Yandex Go taxi — about 10 minutes, with the fare shown in the app before you ride. 2. On foot it takes around 45 minutes: north-east along pedestrian Tashkent Street past [Bibi-Khanym Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/bibi-khanym-mosque) and the [Siab Bazaar](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/siab-bazaar), then north along Islom Karimov Street beside Afrasiab hill. 3. City buses run along Islom Karimov Street towards the Ulugh Beg Observatory. Route numbers differ between guidebooks, so pick one in Yandex Maps or Moovit; card fares are cheaper than cash. 4. Already at the [Afrasiab Museum](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/afrasiab-museum)? Walk — about 450 m, 10–15 minutes. 5. A staircase leads up from the street: the spring is at the bottom, the hall at the top. Buy your ticket at the entrance to the grounds. 6. Next, carry on to the [Ulugh Beg Observatory](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/ulugh-beg-observatory), about 1 km away. ## Is it worth visiting? Yes, if you have more than a day in Samarkand or you are curious about places that different faiths share. Don’t come for tilework — that is what Shah-i-Zinda is for. The building is plain. What makes it memorable is the mood: Muslim, Christian and Jewish visitors at the same grave, the spring, the quiet above the river. With only one day, skip it: the Registan, [Gur-e-Amir](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/gur-e-amir) and Shah-i-Zinda matter more. With two, it fits neatly with the observatory and the Afrasiab Museum into a calm half-day in the north of the city, away from the central crowds. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Clothes that cover shoulders and knees, plus a scarf - [ ] Cash in som for the ticket - [ ] Socks, in case shoes come off at the hall - [ ] An empty bottle if you want spring water - [ ] Yandex Go installed for the ride back - [ ] Water and a hat in summer — there is little shade on the hill ## Saint Daniel vs Shah-i-Zinda vs Ulugh Beg Observatory | | Tomb of Saint Daniel | Shah-i-Zinda | Ulugh Beg Observatory | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Shrine of three faiths with an 18 m grave | Avenue of 11th–19th-century mausoleums | Remains of a giant astronomical arc and a museum | | Entry | ≈ UZS 30,000–40,000 | ≈ UZS 50,000 | ≈ UZS 40,000 | | From Daniel’s tomb | — | ≈ 1.3 km | ≈ 1 km | | Highlight | Atmosphere, spring, river view | Tilework on every façade | History of science | | Dress | Covered | Covered | Casual | Fares are unofficial 2025–2026 figures; distances are straight-line. All three are in the north of the city and fit into one morning. ## Samarkand’s shrines and mosques compared Every mosque, mausoleum and shrine 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 - [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 - [Hazrat Khizr Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/hazrat-khizr-mosque) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free, donations welcome ## North Samarkand in half a day Daniel’s tomb, the Ulugh Beg Observatory, the Afrasiab Museum, the hilltop Hazrat Khizr Mosque and lunch at the bazaar. YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [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 2. [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) 3. [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) 4. [Hazrat Khizr Mosque](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/hazrat-khizr-mosque) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free, donations welcome 5. [Siab Bazaar](https://yesgo.io/uzbekistan/samarkand/siab-bazaar) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free entry ## Good to know Several places claim Daniel’s tomb — the best known is in Susa (Shush), Iran, and there is another in Kirkuk, Iraq. On local signs and in map apps the Samarkand shrine appears as Khoja Doniyor, Khodja Daniyar or the Mausoleum of the Prophet Daniel. ## Tips - Come in the morning: it is cooler and calmer, with more pilgrims than tour groups. - Pair it with the Ulugh Beg Observatory and the Afrasiab Museum — both are 10–15 minutes away. - Bring an empty bottle if you’d like spring water — that’s what pilgrims do. - Walk the full length of the grave, then step out to the terrace for the view over the Siab. - Book a Yandex Go back to the centre — flagging a car on the road takes longer. - Don’t save it for the evening: it closes around 18:00 and isn’t floodlit like the Registan. ## Questions ### Where is the Tomb of Saint Daniel in Samarkand? On the north-east edge of Afrasiab hill above the Siab river, on Islom Karimov Street — about 2.6 km from the Registan, 10 minutes by taxi. ### How much is the entrance fee? Unofficially UZS 30,000–40,000 for foreign visitors; no official fare is published. Pay in cash. ### What are the opening hours? Daily, roughly 8:00–18:00. There is no weekly closing day, but hours may change on religious holidays. ### Is the prophet Daniel really buried here? That is the tradition. Legend says Timur brought part of the relics from Susa; another version makes Khoja Doniyor a companion of Qusam ibn Abbas. Historians treat the Timur story as late. ### Why is the tomb so long? About 18 metres. Legend says the saint keeps growing; other versions say it honours his greatness or hides where the relics lie. ### How do I get there from the Registan? A Yandex Go taxi takes about 10 minutes. Walking takes around 45 minutes via Bibi-Khanym and the Siab Bazaar. From the Afrasiab Museum it is a 10–15-minute walk. ### Is there a dress code? Yes. Cover shoulders and knees; women may want a scarf. Be ready to remove your shoes before the hall. ### Can you drink the spring water? Pilgrims drink it and bottle it, believing it heals. It is a natural spring, not treated tap water — your call. ### How long do you need? About 40 minutes for the hall, the pistachio tree, the spring and the river view. ## How we checked We found no official page with fares or hours, so both are unofficial and marked as checking. Fare: Saiga Tours (July 2025) gives UZS 30,000, GlobalConnect USD 2.5 (about the same), and a visitor note on the Yandex Maps listing from September 2026 gives UZS 40,000 — we show the range. Hours come from the Yandex Maps listing (daily 8:00–18:00); search results show other variants (from 9:00, until 20:00), but we could not open those pages, so the hours are marked as checking. Sources disagree on the colour of the cloth over the grave (green or black), so the text doesn’t name it. English Wikipedia dates the building both to the 15th and to the early 20th century; we give the early 20th century for the present building, as Russian Wikipedia and Turkestan Travel do. We did not measure the 18-metre grave — that figure comes from encyclopedias and guides. The shoe rule comes from a single guide, hence “be ready”. Other facts are checked against at least two sources. Distances are calculated from Wikidata coordinates; walking times are estimates (route ≈ 1.3 × straight line at 4.5 km/h). ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Khoja Doniyor Mausoleum, Tomb of Daniel; Russian Wikipedia: Mavzoley Khodzha Doniyor; Wikidata Q1661582 - Orexca: Tomb of St. Daniel, Samarkand - Advantour: Mausoleum of St. Daniel - Turkestan Travel: Mausoleum of St. Daniel - Uzbekistan.travel (National Tourism Information Center of Uzbekistan): Prophet Daniel and the legend about his mausoleum - GlobalConnect: Mausoleum of St. Daniel - Saiga Tours, 14 July 2025 — Samarkand entry fees - Nomad's Land: Tomb of the Old Testament prophet Daniel - Indian Vagabond, 2025: Tomb of Saint Daniel, Samarkand - Yandex Maps: Mausoleum of the Prophet Daniel — hours and address, 02.11.2026 --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.