Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi

Brief Description

Justification for Inscription

Criterion i: The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi is an outstanding achievement in the Timurid architecture, and it has significantly contributed to the development of Islamic religious architecture. Criterion iii: The mausoleum and its site represent an exceptional testimony to the culture of the Central Asian region, and to the development of building technology. Criterion iv: The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi was a prototype for the development of a major building type in the Timurid period, becoming a significant reference in the history of Timurid architecture.

Long Description

The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi and its site represent an exceptional testimony to the culture of the Central Asian region, and to the development of building technology. It was a prototype for the development of a major building type in the Timurid period, becoming a significant reference in the history of Timurid architecture and contributing significantly to the development of Islamic religious architecture.

The origins of the modern town of Turkestan go back to the early Middle Ages. At first known as Yasi, it was a suburban area of Shavgar, in the region of Syr Daria, the crossroads of agricultural and nomadic cultures. Shavgar developed into a large handicraft and trade centre, but from the 12th century, Yasi gained in importance over it. Pilgrimage to the tomb of Ahmed Yasawi was another factor that contributed to its development. In the 1370s, Timur (Tamerlane, c . 1336-1405) became the new ruler of Central Asia, and his reign extended from Mesopotamia and Iran to Transoxiana. His capital was Samarkand.

Timur's policies involved the construction of monumental public and cult buildings (mosques, mausoleums, madrasas ) in regions such as Syr Daria, where towns were vital outposts on the northern frontier of his possessions, including the Mausoleum of Ahmed Yasawi. Timur's wish was to contribute to the diffusion of Islam, but even more so to fulfill specific political objectives. The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a distinguished Sufi master of the 12th century, is situated in southern Kazakhstan, in the city of Turkestan (Yasi). The mausoleum is placed in the area of the former citadel, in the north-eastern part of the ancient town, now an open archaeological site. To the south, there is a nature protection area; on the other sides the modern city of Turkestan surrounds the site. The property is limited to the mausoleum of Ahmed Yasawi; the buffer zone covers the archaeological area of the ancient town.

The mausoleum was built between 1389 and 1399, continuing until the death of Timur in 1405. The building was left unfinished at the entrance and some parts of the interior, thus providing documented evidence of the working methods at that time. In the 16th century, the mausoleum went through some repair and reconstruction on the main portal; the arch was repaired by Abdullah Khan, the governor of Bokhara. From this time until the 19th century, Turkestan was the residence of the Kazakh khans. In the 19th century, Kokand Khan turned the mausoleum into a fortress, and built a defensive wall around it in mud brick.

The mausoleum is one of the largest built in the Timurid period. There are some other buildings in the vicinity, including mausolea for distinguished persons, small mosques, and a medieval bath house. On the north side, the mausoleum is separated from the new town by a section of the ancient citadel wall, which has here been reconstructed. The structure of the building is in fired brick with mortar of gypsum mixed with clay (ganch). The foundations were originally built from layers of clay, but these have recently been rebuilt in concrete. The main entrance is from the south-east through the iwan into the large square Main Hall, Kazandyk, covered with a conic-spherical dome, the largest in Central Asia (18.2 m in diameter). In the centre of this hall is a bronze cauldron (kazan ) for ritual purposes, dated 1399. The tomb of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi (Gur khana), the most important space, is situated on the central axis at the end of the building in the north-west. The sarcophagus is in the centre of this space.

The building has spaces assigned for several functions: as meeting rooms, a refectory (Ash khana), a library (Kitab khana), and a mosque. The mosque is the only room where fragments of the original wall paintings are preserved, which are geometric and floral ornaments in light blue color. The intrados of the domes is decorated in alabaster stalactites (muqarnas ). In the exterior, the walls are covered with glazed tiles with large geometric patterns with epigraphic ornaments, characteristic of Timurid architecture.

There are fine Kufic inscriptions on the walls and texts from the Qu'ran on the drums of the domes. The building remained unfinished at the death of Timur in 1405, and was never completed, and so the main entrance still lacks the surface finish and the two minarets that were planned.

Historical Description

Sufism (tasawwuf from ‘wool' in Arabic) is a mystic movement in Islam. It has been considered as the inner, mystical, or psycho-spiritual dimension of this religion, developing as a spiritual movement from the 9th and 10th centuries. Sufist ideas evolved particularly in the 12th and 13th centuries in the thoughts and writings of people such as: Attar (perished in1221), Ibn Arabi (1165-1240) and Jalal al-Din Rumi (1207-1273).

Starting in the 12th century, Sufism also developed into several regional schools, of which the Turkic branch was headed by Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. Sufism has been seen as one of the forces that sustained the diffusion of Islam, preventing its downfall, especially in the difficult period after the Mongol invasion in the 12th century. Yasawi was born in Yasi or in Ispidjab (Sairam), in 1103. After initial education by his father he studied in Bukhara, one of the principal centres of Islam at the time. He spent most of his life in Yasi, and died there in 1166. His contribution was crucial for Central Asia, where he popularized Sufism, and contributed to the diffusion of Islam.

The town of Turkestan: The modern town of Turkestan is referred to ancient Kazakh towns, and its origins go back to the early Middle Ages. Until the 16th century, it was called Yasi. At first it was a suburban area of Shavgar, in the region of Syr Daria, the crossroads of agricultural and nomadic cultures. Shavgar developed into a large handicraft and trade centre, but from the 12th century, Yasi gained importance over this. It was also one of the few places that do not seem to have been destroyed by the Mongols in the 13th century. Pilgrimage to the tomb of Ahmed Yasawi was another factor that contributed to its development.

In the 1370s, Timur (Tamerlane) (1328-1405) became the new ruler of Central Asia, and his reign extended from Mesopotamia and Iran to Transoxiana. His capital was in Samarqand. Timur's policies involved the construction of monumental public and cult buildings (mosques, mausoleums, madrasahs) in regions such as Syr Daria, where towns were vital outposts on the northern frontier of his possessions, including the Mausoleum of Ahmed Yasawi. Timur's wish was to contribute to the diffusion of Islam, but even more so to fulfil specific political objectives. Considering that the Sufi orders determined the support of nomadic tribes in the steppes, the construction of this remarkable sanctuary aimed to gain the support of the Sufis and of the large nomad community, who otherwise might have presented a risk for his ruling. He is reported to have participated personally in the design of the Mausoleum, which was built parallel with the Mosque of Samarkand. For the first time here, Timur used a team of immigrated skilled master builders from Shiraz and Isfahan. The building also represented an experiment, where he introduced innovative spatial arrangements, types of vaults and domes, that were later implemented in the capital cities.

From the 16th to 18th centuries Turkestan was the capital and residence of the Kazakh Khanship, developing into its largest trade and craft centre. The Mausoleum of Ahmed Yasawi was the outstanding monument of the town, and several prominent personalities were buried close to it. However, the political struggles and the shift of trade to sea routes resulted in the decline of urban life. In 1864 Turkestan was invaded by the Russian army. The old town was destroyed and deserted. A new railway station was built far from the old town, becoming the new centre for development. Some vernacular dwellings were built closer to the old town, called ‘Eski Turkistan'. Today, the old town is an archaeological site, and one of the 14 Reserve Museum sites in Kazakhstan.

The Mausoleum: the construction took place between 1389 and 1399, continuing until the death of Timur in 1405. The building was left unfinished at the entrance and some parts of the interior, thus providing documented evidence of the working methods at that time. In the 16th century, the mausoleum went through some repair and reconstruction on the main portal; the arch was repaired by the order of Abdullah-Khan, the governor of Bukhara. From this time until the 19th century, Turkestan was the residence of the Kazakh khans. In the 19th century, Kokand khan turned the mausoleum into a fortress, and built a defence wall around it in mud brick. In 1864, when the Russian army took over Turkestan, the building was in a poor state of repair. In 1872, the authorities decided to preserve it. From 1938 there has been regular maintenance, and since 1945 several restoration campaigns have been carried out, the latest from 1993 to 2000. In the Soviet period, this monument was treated as a historic building and a museum. Since the independence of Kazakhstan in 1991, its spiritual function has prevailed, and it has even come to epitomize national identity.