AShrineIndependent states
Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
A vast mausoleum built on Timur's orders at the end of the 14th century — one of the most revered shrines of the Turkic world. A UNESCO site since 2003.
In 1389 Timur ordered a great complex to replace Yasawi's small tomb. Work stopped at his death in 1405, and the building was never finished — which makes it a living textbook of construction methods for architects.
It contains Yasawi's tomb, a mosque, library, refectory and ceremonial hall. The dome of the main hall is among the largest brick domes in Central Asia, and in its centre stands a two-tonne bronze cauldron, the taikazan. The walls are faced with turquoise and blue tiles.
Popular tradition holds that three pilgrimages to Turkistan equal a lesser Hajj. The mausoleum became Kazakhstan's first UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003.
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Updated: October 2, 2026