1935 replies to this topic

[Hans van der Maarel]

That's it Paul. I was there in October 2009, after NACIS in Sacramento. A truly special place and I'm glad I took the time to go there.

The Grandstand by hans905, on Flickr

 

Moving Rock by hans905, on Flickr

 

You're up next!

 

[pghardy]

You're up next!

 

OK. Back to the old world this time. Name this public space.

 

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As a bonus point, which notable ruler is buried a few hundred metres from here?

[pghardy]

Here's a bigger context.

 

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This was the centre of a city that ruled an empire.

[Crischan]

I know it, I know it! But i just got my turn, so I will bite my tongue and leave some one else a chance...

[pghardy]

This was the centre of a city that ruled an empire.

And the midpoint of one of the great trade routes of the old world.

[Matthew Hampton]

A wild guess.

What is Kashgar @ the midpoint of the Silk Road?

[pghardy]

A wild guess. What is Kashgar @ the midpoint of the Silk Road?

 

Right idea, but too far East.

 

A wider view.

 

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[Hans van der Maarel]

Samarkand?

[pghardy]

Samarkand?

 

Yes, that is the city, but that is not what I asked!

You could also go for the bonus point.

[Hans van der Maarel]

Well, Tamerlane (aka Timur) is buried in the Gur-e Amir. I guess that's the one you're after?

[pghardy]

Well, Tamerlane (aka Timur) is buried in the Gur-e Amir. I guess that's the one you're after?

You get the bonus point, but if I'm being pedantic, you haven't yet named the public space in the first image, which is what I asked originally. An English Lord described it in 1888 as 'the noblest public square in the world'.

[Hans van der Maarel]

It's the Registan (how many bonus points do I have now?)

[pghardy]

It's the Registan (how many bonus points do I have now?)

 
Yes! A truly spectacular combination of centuries-old highly decorated buildings arranged around an urban public space.
 


I was there in 2009 on a very memorable trip through the Uzbek Silk Road cities - Tashkent, Bukhara, Khiva, Samarkand, ...

You get the bonus point for Timur (his tomb is another spectacular building), and you are first to the finishing line with Registan as the answer to the location question I asked originally.
 
However, I think I should deduct three points for the number of hints and intervening posts on the way. So that leaves you with -1 . Maybe we need rigorous rules and scoring scheme like in Mornington Crescent, scored by the lovely Samantha, but I suspect that most non-British CartoTalkers would find that totally baffling. So we keep it simple and just say "You're up next!".

[Hans van der Maarel]

I demand a recount?

 

Anyway, sticking with the theme of squares:

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Something pretty darn special happening there soon!

[amtait]

Hi Hans,

This looks like Dam Square in Amsterdam, but I don't know what event is happening there soon. No bonus points!

__Alex