Chorsu

The Chorsu in Samarkand is a hexagonal building topped with a broad, ribbed dome that sits at a busy intersection near the Registan. It served as a trading hub for merchants traveling along the Silk Road who needed a central location to exchange goods under cover. In the eighteenth century, traders gathered here to sell hats, jewelry, and silks. Today, the structure houses an art gallery, but the original layout remains defined by the six arched entrances that once welcomed caravans from different directions.