The Transformation Of Samarkand City Streetscales And Urban Perspectives In The Twentieth Century: A Historical And Urban Planning Analysis

Abstract

This article provides a historical and urban-planning analysis of the transformation of Samarkand’s streetscape and spatial perspective during the twentieth century. The study is based on the understanding of Samarkand as a multilayered city in which the archaeological area of Afrasiab, the Timurid historic city and the nineteenth- and twentieth-century European-style urban extension developed side by side rather than replacing one another. The streetscape is assessed through facade alignment, street width, greenery, transport structure, pedestrian quality, visual axes, historic landmarks and panoramic views. The paper identifies several stages: traditional mahalla streets at the beginning of the century, Soviet planning interventions of the 1920s-1940s, the monumental-compositional approach of the 1940s-1960s, modernism and microdistrict planning in the 1960s-1980s, and the emergence of historic-environment protection practices in the 1980s-1990s. The article proposes practical recommendations for using the principles of historic urban landscape, view corridors and perspective protection zones in the conservation and development of Samarkand’s street environment.