Heritage with Related Tags
Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din
These two castles are the most representative examples of the exchange of influences and the evolution of Near Eastern defensive architecture during the Crusades (11th-13th centuries). The Castle of the Knights was built between 1142 and 1271 by the Knights Hospitaller of St. John of Jerusalem. Further work by the Mamluks in the late 13th century made it one of the best preserved Crusader castles. The Fortress of Saladin (Qal'at Salah El-Din), although partly in ruins, is an outstanding example of this type of fortification, both in terms of the quality of its construction and the preservation of its historical strata. It retains features from the 10th-century Byzantine period, Frankish modifications from the late 12th century, and fortifications added during the Ayyubid period (late 12th to mid-13th century).
Samarkand – Crossroad of Cultures
The historic city of Samarkand is a meeting point and melting pot of world cultures. Samarkand was founded in the 7th century BC under the name Afrasiab and developed most rapidly during the Timurid period in the 14th and 15th centuries. Major monuments include the Registan Mosque and Madrasa, the Bibi Khanym Mosque, the Shahi Zinda and Gur Amir complexes, and the Ulugh Beg Observatory.
Monasteries of Haghpat and Sanahin
These two Byzantine monasteries, located in the Tumania region, were important centers of learning during the flourishing period of the Chiurigian dynasty (10th-13th centuries). Sanakhin was famous for its schools of painters and calligraphers. The two monastic complexes represent the highest achievement of Armenian religious architecture, with a unique style that combines elements of Byzantine ecclesiastical architecture with traditional vernacular architecture of the Caucasus region.