Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov visited the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum last week to monitor efforts to safeguard the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The mausoleum, a popular tourist destination attracting over 1 million visitors annually, faces challenges due to humidity and environmental factors.
Reconstruction works, including installation of monitoring equipment to assess external threats, began last August.
“The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi is a cultural treasure not just for Kazakhstan, but for the entire world,” emphasized Bektenov.
“Preserving its historical significance is a priority. We will ensure this vital work continues with all necessary support.”
Constructed during Timur’s reign, the mausoleum is a 39-meter architectural marvel, renowned for its massive brick dome – one of the largest in Central Asia.
It also houses over 24,000 historical artifacts and serves as the final resting place for several Kazakh khans and statesmen. These include Abylai Khan, Abulkhair Khan, Rabiga Sultan-Begim, Zholbarys Khan, Yesim Khan, Ondan Sultan, and Kazybek Bi.
The Story of The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
The Mausoleum of Khawaja Ahmed Yasawi, situated in Turkestan, Kazakhstan, is a historical monument built by Timur in the late 14th century.
It replaced an earlier mausoleum dedicated to a Sufi mystic and serves as a significant example of Timurid architecture.
Despite being unfinished, it holds cultural and religious significance as a pilgrimage site representing Kazakh national identity.
Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003, the mausoleum is located near an archaeological site showcasing remnants of a citadel, mosques, and bathhouses, highlighting the area’s historical importance as a former trade center. Today, it is separated from the modern town by a reconstructed citadel wall.
Khawaja Ahmed Yasawi was a prominent figure in Sufism, a mystic movement in Islam, during the 12th century.
He was born in 1093 in Ispidjab (modern Sayram) and spent most of his life in Yasi, where he died in 1166. He is highly revered in Central Asia for popularizing Sufism despite the Mongol invasion.
Yasawi’s theological school in Yasi became a significant center of learning in the region. He was also known for his poetry, philosophy, and statesmanship. After his death, a mausoleum was built to honor him.
Later, under the Timurid dynasty, a larger mausoleum was constructed in Yasi to house Yasawi’s remains, initiated by Timur (Tamerlane) in 1389.
Timur imported skilled builders for the project and is said to have contributed to its design.
However, the mausoleum remained unfinished upon Timur’s death in 1405.
Over time, control of the area passed to the Kazakh Khanate, and Yasi, renamed Turkestan, became its capital in the 16th century.
The town thrived as a trade center but later declined due to political struggles and changes in trade routes.
By the 20th century, the town was deserted, and preservation efforts were undertaken by the Soviet administration.
The mausoleum underwent various restoration campaigns, and it is now protected as a national monument in Kazakhstan.
The site is managed by the Azret-Sultan State Historical and Cultural Reserve Museum, ensuring its safeguarding, research, and maintenance.
(eTN): Restoration of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum: A Kazakh Architectural Beauty | re-post license | post content
