Turkestan

There is just one thing to see in Turkestan, the mausoleum of Kozha Akhmed Yasaui. Touted as Kazakhstan's greatest building, the mausoleum stands on the outskirts of Turkistan and on the edge of the Kyzylkum desert. Built in the 14th century, it is another of one of the many great buildings of Timur (Tamerlane), more of which I will see later in Uzbekistan. So this is a bit of a taste of what is to come later in Samarkand and Buhara.

A 3 hour bus journey from Shimkent and a 40 minute walk in the wrong direction. followed by a mini-bus back to where i should have gone in the first place and I arrived at the mausoleum, where many Kazakh Muslims are also there to pay homage to Kozha Akhmed Yasui, the first great Turkic Muslim.



The now restored mausoleum is an imposing sight, looming high over the desert landscape to the west. Beautiful tiled artwork cover the walls on three sides of the building, in the Timur style so associated with Central Asian architecture of this time.



As usal at the cash desk, everyone just pushes in front of you as though you weren't there, something that happens at any cashier, shop etc in ex-Soviet countries. However much you get used to it, sometimes you just want to shout at them ! Maybe this isn't the time and place. Once inside locals kneel in prayer around the casket and at small prayer areas within the building, shame that as usual it is not allowed to take photos inside.