Description of the attraction
In 1424, the ruler of Samarkand and the famous scientist Ulugbek ordered to build an observatory on the Kuhak hill not far from his own capital. Here he planned to observe the stars, work on a map of the starry sky and conduct various studies. For this, a huge quadrant was located in the center of the three-story rounded building, which greatly facilitated the work of a medieval astronomer. This tool can be seen even now. The rest of the devices of Ulugbek and his assistants - no less famous astronomers of that time - have not survived to this day.
After Ulugbek's death, his observatory was not closed. Scientists who collaborated with Ulugbek continued their work here. But then the new rulers of Samarkand considered their occupation a whim, and astronomers left the observatory forever. Approximately 50 years later, the building of the observatory began to be dismantled for construction materials.
The remains of an unknown structure, which turned out to be an old observatory, were discovered during the archaeological expedition of the scientist V. L. Vyatkin at the beginning of the 20th century. Research continued in 1948, when a group of archaeologists arrived here, headed by V. A. Shishkin. Scientists were able to free the base and fragments of the walls from layers.
A museum was built near the remains of the old observatory in 1970, where copies of Ulugbek's astronomical tables are kept. The originals were stolen by the British and are now in Oxford. In 2010, a monument to the famous astronomer Ulugbek appeared in front of the museum.
