Building detail of Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan Aug 31, 2026

Building detail of Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Stand in Registan Square and it"s easy to see why it is considered the architectural heart of Samarkand—one of Central Asia"s oldest cities. This plaza in Uzbekistan is framed by three magnificent madrasas—Islamic centres of learning—whose soaring portals draw the eye upwards. Yet some of the square"s greatest treasures reveal themselves only when you look closer.

© Piero M. Bianchi/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Aug 31, 2023Saguaro cacti, Ironwood Forest National Monument, Arizona
The lord of all beginnings
Aug 31, 2024Rocks and sand in the Sahara, Algeria
Aug 31, 2025Scotts Bluff National Monument, Nebraska, United States

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Oct 8, 2024World Octopus Day
Nov 21, 2025Small island near Ezhikkara, Kerala
A 50-year balancing act
May 30, 2024Everglades National Park, Florida, USA
Feb 14, 2025Happy Valentines Day!
Oct 27, 2023Sligachan Old Bridge, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Spiralling upward...
Where the buffalo roam
May 3, 2024The Sonoran Desert, Arizona, US
Feb 25, 2025Castle Stalker, Argyll, Scotland
A warm hug in the icy north
Dec 11, 2024International Mountain Day
Sep 12, 2025World Dolphin Day
Stretching out in the Everglades
Nov 5, 2024Ranakpur Jain temple, Ranakpur, Rajasthan
Mar 10, 2025Lion, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda
An oasis in the desert
Nov 11, 2024Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
Where is this historical bridge?
Straight out of a fairytale
Jun 26, 2024Banggai cardinalfish with sea anemone
Sep 28, 2024Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida, USA
Jun 21, 2024International Day of Yoga
Flying the flag for Pride
Feb 22, 2026Mam Tor, Derbyshire, England
Dec 5, 2024Tufa formation on Mono Lake, California, United States
Dec 22, 2023Red Fort, Delhi
Purple mountain majesties
A little bird told me...
Jan 22, 2026Karlovy Vary, Bohemia, Czechia