Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi

The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the southern city of Turkestan, is Kazakhstan's most important and beautiful historic monument, a masterpiece of Timurid architecture. Commissioned by Timur in the late fourteenth century over the tomb of a revered Sufi poet and mystic, it was left unfinished at the conqueror's death, its great entrance portal still bare of tiles. Yet its soaring turquoise-ribbed dome, the largest of its kind in Central Asia, and its dazzling glazed tilework make it a place of pilgrimage and awe.

What you actually see

• The great dome - the vast turquoise-ribbed dome over the tomb.
• The tilework - the dazzling glazed patterns of the facades.
• The unfinished portal - the bare brick entrance, left as it was.
• The old town of Turkestan - the pilgrimage complex around it.

When to go

Spring, April to June, and autumn, September to October, for mild weather, as the southern summers are very hot; it is an important pilgrimage site, so it can be busy with worshippers, especially on religious days. A high-speed rail link and airport now make Turkestan easier to reach.

Honest expectations

It is in the far south, so reaching it takes a dedicated trip by rail, road or air, and the surrounding new tourist development around Turkestan can feel manufactured. As a living pilgrimage site, it should be visited with respect and modest dress. The mausoleum itself, with its immense dome and glowing tilework, is a genuine masterpiece and Central Asia's Timurid architecture at its finest.

Nearby

The ancient sites of Otrar and the southern steppe are within reach.