In The Travels of Marco Polo , where Polo records his journey along the Silk Road , Samarkand is described as a `` a very large and splendid city ... '' He also writes about a Christian church in Samarkand , which miraculously remained standing after a portion of its central supporting column was removed . In The Travels of Marco Polo , where Polo records his journey along the Silk Road , Samarkand is described as a `` a very large and splendid city ... '' Here also is related the story of a Christian church in Samarkand , which miraculously remained standing after a portion of its central supporting column was removed .