Gur-e Amir
Timurid court architects · Samarkand, Uzbekistan · 1404
Gur-e Amir is the dynastic mausoleum most closely associated with Timur and the Timurid ruling family. A tall ribbed turquoise dome rises above a compact octagonal burial chamber preceded by a monumental entrance court. The exterior uses patterned brick and glazed tile, while the interior is densely finished with gilded and painted ornament. The complex began around 1403 for Timur’s grandson Muhammad Sultan and was adapted after Timur’s death in 1405. Using 1404 as the principal completion date captures the initial mausoleum phase while recognizing that the monument continued to evolve.