Everyone has heard of Daniel and the lion's den, but few people could tell you that his final resting place, the Mausoleum of Daniyar (Tashkent; 09.00-18.00 daily), is in Samarkand, on the northern edge of Afrosiab by the healing spring. Daniel (Daniyar in Uzbek) is considered a patron saint and protector of Samarkand, and brings wealth and prosperity to the city.

According to legend, KhodjaDaniyar was a companion of Kusamibn Abbas, who was believed to be a relative of the Prophet and one of the first Islamic preachers in Central Asia. Other legends associate KhodjaDaniyar with the Koranic and Biblical prophet Daniyar (Daniel) whose remains were brought here by Amir Temur.

The prophet Daniel is revered by three world religions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam, and mausoleum is still a pilgrimage place for the followers of all three Abrahamic religions. According to biblical history, in 605 BC, Daniel was captured by Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar and led to Babylon. There he deserved high respect for his spirituality and divine insight. History refers to two places of burial of the Holy Daniel - Babylon itself and Susa town.

However, legend says that Tamerlan brought part of the remains of Daniel, (namely, his arm) from Susa in Iran to Samarkand. The mausoleum was built above his grave in the XIV century and was re-built in the early XX century. Near the mausoleum of the prophet Daniel, there is located a water source with tasteful water. The place is a cult for pilgrimage, made by both local residents and visitors from around the world.