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Samarkand, Uzbekistan
First welcoming settlers in 1,500 B.C., this city in east-central Uzbekistan is one of the oldest in Central Asia and was an essential stop on the Silk Route. Once captured by Alexander the Great and destroyed by Genghis Khan, Samarkand is a city that’s been rebuilt from ruins but feels much newer than it is. It’s best known for its Islamic architecture, punctuated with bright turquoise domes and glistening mosques.
