Mausoleum of Khodji Daniyar - Saint Daniel

The mausoleum of Khodji Daniyar (Saint Daniel) is considered the most revered of all the shrines of Samarkand. Saint Daniel was reputed to be revered not only in Islam, but also in Judaism and Christianity. He was wise, he had an extraordinary gift for speech. For this he was named a prophet and canonized. Daniel died at an advanced age and was buried in the city of Susa.

Who transported his ashes to Samarkand?

Some historians claim that during one of his campaigns, Amir Timur could not take the city of Susa the first time, and when theologians told him that the city was guarded by the relics of a saint, Timur did not storm the city, but asked for part of the relics of this saint and took them to Samarkand on camels. Before reaching the city, the animals refused to go further, they lay down on the ground and no one could force them to rise. The elders took this as a sign and built a tomb on that spot.

According to another version, the remains were brought to Samarkand by settlers from Iran, but since the local authorities did not allow them to be buried in the city, they were buried outside the city.

But there is also a third version. It says that the relics of not Saint Daniel are buried there, but Khoja Doniyor, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, who arrived in Samarkand to preach Islam.

But be that as it may, the grave of this saint looks like a mausoleum with six domes, which stands on the banks of the Siab River to the north of Afrosiab.