Turkestan — region with many legends and a rich history. Here are 8 must-see places.
Medieval settlement of Otrar
Before the Mongol invasion, Otrar was one of the largest cities in Central Asia. The first mentions in the history of this city begin with the I century AD. Otrar is the birthplace of many great personalities, such as scientist Al-Farabi, mathematician Abbas Jauhari, linguist and geographer Ishaq Al-Farabi, and the famous Sufi Arystan Bab also lived here. The distance from Turkestan is about 50 km.
Arystan Baba Mausoleum
The mausoleum of Arystan Baba is an architectural monument of the XIV century, built on the grave of Arystan Baba— the teacher and mentor of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. This place has become not only a historical monument, but also a place of pilgrimage for many Muslims. It is located near the settlement of Otrar.
The mausoleum and the well of Ukasha Ata
Mausoleum and a sacred well, which is considered a monument of history and culture of republican significance. According to legend, Ukasha Ata preached Islam among the Central Asian Turkic peoples. The sacred well has been attracting tourists for many years, where anyone can try to get a bucket of water from it. But water is not given to everyone — someone gets a bucket full of water, someone is completely empty, and some come across stones in the water. A bucket full of water is considered a good sign, and the stones say that a person has some rare gift or a great fortune awaits him. The distance from Turkestan is about 35 km.
Mulberry Mazhratut
In the village of Karnak, not far from Turkestan, a mulberry tree grows, the age of which is about 1300 years old. Usually the age of such trees reaches no more than 500 years. This tree has been cared for by several generations of villagers.
Architectural complex of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
The mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi is an architectural monument of the XIV century, preserved 80% in its original form. The mausoleum was built by order of Tamerlane on the burial site of the Sufi poet Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, who had a significant influence on Islam in Central Asia.
Sauran settlement
The medieval settlement of Sauran is located 43 kilometers from Turkestan. The first written mention of Sauran was left by the 10th-century Arab geographer Makdisi. Currently, the settlement is an oval-shaped fortress, where fragments of walls with a height of three to six meters have been preserved. Walking through Sauran, you can find fragments of ancient ceramic dishes and even find ancient coins.
Akmeshit Cave
Akmeshit — translated from Kazakh as «white mosque», there are many legends about this cave. For example, one of them says that this cave was the habitat of an ancient dragon, as well as a place of shelter for women and children during the Dzungarian invasion.
Adam and Eve Rock
Many tourists are attracted by this amazing place, since the rock is divided into two halves, between which not everyone can pass. The passage between the rocks does not depend on the physical fitness or parameters of a person, it's just that the rock passes someone, and someone does not.
Sources of the photos: kazakhstan.travel, @moromax1973, @talashin, iqap.kz.
