Three imperial cities each ruled by a different dynasty nurturing its own unique ethos, sharing neither language, ethnicity nor religious persuasion. Yet they do share a certain measure of unity reflected in architectural design. Their basic urban design and their monumental structures enjoy an active dialog of retort.

What were the characteristics of such Islamic imperial cities? Did they share a common prototype based on their Turco-Mongol heritage together with Islamic urban ideas? We’ll explore these three cities, their civil complexes and attempt to reconstruct their overall plan, the secrets of their setting and the agenda their patrons attempted to manifest through their location and design.