Samarkand: towards the outskirts
The Hazrat Khizr (Xazrat i Xizr) Mosque, the first mosque constructed in Samarkand following the Arab conquest of the region, on the hill at the entrance to the city; according to legend, there are seven levels of graves and bodies at each level of the saints or prophets. The mosque was destroyed in the 13th century by the hordes of Genghis Khan. It was later restored and rebuilt several times, and today's appearance is from the 19th century. In various Islamic traditions, Khizr is described as a prophet or a saint.
Photo by Ludo Kuipers, Tue Jun 18, 2013