Why Samarkand and Bukhara Are Known as the Jewels of the Silk Road

Why Samarkand and Bukhara Are Known as the Jewels of the Silk Road

The Silk Road was one of the most extensive and influential trade networks ever created. It fostered the exchange of goods and ideas between cultures on an unprecedented scale for over a thousand years and, pivotally, created a large-scale, sustainable connection between China and the Mediterranean. At its heart were two extraordinary cities—Samarkand and Bukhara, in present-day Uzbekistan. These two cities are Central Asia’s historical powerhou…