Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
4.5
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
About
Built in the 14th century by Tamerlane to commemorate the Sufi leader, the building is a national symbol.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
118 reviews
Excellent
76
Very good
34
Average
6
Poor
1
Terrible
1
patz_boom
The Hague, The Netherlands152 contributions
Jul 2016 • Couples
We wanted to see the mausoleum in Turkistan and Sauran in one day from Shymkent without spending too much money on tours. In the tourist information center next to big Shymkent Hotel were very nice and helpful staff, but only expensive drivers to take us. So we just tried everything ourselves.
We went on a Saturday morning (around 10) to bus station Samal where there were many minibuses who took us for 800 pp next to the mausoleum in 1.5 hours. Very hot, but beautiful place! Small entry fee. Ladies wear head scarfs. Some English texts, but not all is translated.
Then, from the mausoleum we found a taxi driver who drove us to Sauran and back for 5000. Extremely hot desert-like place, it had a mystical feel. One way was around 40 min drive. Back in Turkistan we took a minibus for 700 pp back to Shymkent. Back is cheaper because of competition.
So, we had plenty of time, roads are good so cars are fast and we spent in total 8000 KZT. We had a great cultural day!
We went on a Saturday morning (around 10) to bus station Samal where there were many minibuses who took us for 800 pp next to the mausoleum in 1.5 hours. Very hot, but beautiful place! Small entry fee. Ladies wear head scarfs. Some English texts, but not all is translated.
Then, from the mausoleum we found a taxi driver who drove us to Sauran and back for 5000. Extremely hot desert-like place, it had a mystical feel. One way was around 40 min drive. Back in Turkistan we took a minibus for 700 pp back to Shymkent. Back is cheaper because of competition.
So, we had plenty of time, roads are good so cars are fast and we spent in total 8000 KZT. We had a great cultural day!
Written July 30, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Алия Т
Almaty, Kazakhstan147 contributions
May 2021 • Family
Loved the place so much
The place is so peaceful, the price is reasonable.
Only thing is - we visited at the end of May and the weather is too hot
The place is so peaceful, the price is reasonable.
Only thing is - we visited at the end of May and the weather is too hot
Written May 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Haelen
Voorburg, The Netherlands388 contributions
Nov 2014 • Friends
This Mausoleum can compete with the grandeur of the Mausolea in Samarkand or Bukhara. It was above my expectations. It size, its location and purpose as a pelgrim site all contributes to its actraction. The tiles are beautiful. This Masoleum justifies a great detour. Do not miss it!
Written December 15, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MexKaz
Blacksburg, VA190 contributions
Is difficult to get there but it has a high historical value. As most of Kazakhstan, better to explore with locals.
Written November 7, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Whonose
Al Ain135 contributions
Mar 2016 • Solo
Beautiful and impressive ancient mausoleum. I was with a guide and driver from Shymkent, who arranged an English speaking guide to the mausoleum, underground mosque, Friday mosque and ancient bath house which are all in the same area. I don't know what the cost of that was, but if you want to understand more ask for a guide at the ticket office.
The area was crowded with pilgrims for whom this is not just a historical site to tick off a bucket list, and their presence added to the atmosphere.
The area was crowded with pilgrims for whom this is not just a historical site to tick off a bucket list, and their presence added to the atmosphere.
Written April 2, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
alterIstanbul
istanbul42 contributions
Sep 2013 • Solo
Türkistan, or Yesi, is a town located in the middle of desolation. However, it has Ahmed Yesevi's mausoleum. I went there to see it by a train journey lasted almost 16-17 hours from Almatı. Aside from Yesevi, there is nothing. It is interesting why he inhabited such a place. As to mausoleum, there was restoration works when I visited. It was foggy and awesome after the sundown.
Written May 22, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Saskia S
Rotterdam, The Netherlands178 contributions
Apr 2016 • Couples
We took a daytrip together from Shymkent with the hotel taxi driver and an English speaking guide, including lunch package, arranged by the hotel staff (about 175 euros). The highway to Turkistan is very quiet, the trip took about two hours.
Arraving at the mausoleum it took us a while before we realised it's not just a mosque but actually a Sultan's palace, with a build-in mosque and mausoleum. The building is very impresive, rising up in the flat land, the whole town of Turkistan consists of just a few other houses.
Once inside our guide explained that the building was reconstructed from the inside by the Kazakh government. Lots of details like all sealings were removed and the walls plastered again with new details by hired Turkish builders. This means that the official womens quarters in the top of the building were removed and looked like empty caves near the ceiling. Such a shame.
Also the place has got different rooms with exhibitions of ancient coins and a writers room. Both have got nothing to do with the mausoleum, but are put there for tourist attraction only. Best ridiculous detail: there is a 'water-well' in one of the cells, made of stones that absolutely do not match the rest of the stones the mausoleum is made of, and looks very new. Geologists say there is no way the well was there, but the info on the display has got drawings to prove it. A very good take on rewriting history!
The building has tipped over a bit on the back, and the precautions they made for collapse are simple and ugly: they just build three modern stone pillars against the beautiful blue tiled walls..
It's an amazing place, an absolute must-see, but they really did a horrible job preserving it.
What the other reviewers have said below is absolutely true: I was stared at and noticed young visitors took pics of me (It's a Tourist!!) and there are a lot of Pelgrims, mostly Oezbek.
Without the explanations from our Kazakh guide Ruslan I would not have been able to comprehend the real story of the mausoleum, so I strongly advise to take a guide!
Arraving at the mausoleum it took us a while before we realised it's not just a mosque but actually a Sultan's palace, with a build-in mosque and mausoleum. The building is very impresive, rising up in the flat land, the whole town of Turkistan consists of just a few other houses.
Once inside our guide explained that the building was reconstructed from the inside by the Kazakh government. Lots of details like all sealings were removed and the walls plastered again with new details by hired Turkish builders. This means that the official womens quarters in the top of the building were removed and looked like empty caves near the ceiling. Such a shame.
Also the place has got different rooms with exhibitions of ancient coins and a writers room. Both have got nothing to do with the mausoleum, but are put there for tourist attraction only. Best ridiculous detail: there is a 'water-well' in one of the cells, made of stones that absolutely do not match the rest of the stones the mausoleum is made of, and looks very new. Geologists say there is no way the well was there, but the info on the display has got drawings to prove it. A very good take on rewriting history!
The building has tipped over a bit on the back, and the precautions they made for collapse are simple and ugly: they just build three modern stone pillars against the beautiful blue tiled walls..
It's an amazing place, an absolute must-see, but they really did a horrible job preserving it.
What the other reviewers have said below is absolutely true: I was stared at and noticed young visitors took pics of me (It's a Tourist!!) and there are a lot of Pelgrims, mostly Oezbek.
Without the explanations from our Kazakh guide Ruslan I would not have been able to comprehend the real story of the mausoleum, so I strongly advise to take a guide!
Written April 29, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kalpak_Travel
Nussbaumen, Switzerland112 contributions
Sep 2016 • Business
If you cannot make it to Uzbekistan you need to see this Mausoleum. This is the one and only Mausoleum in Kazakhstan that can be compared to the famous ones in Uzbekistan. The underground mosque is very interesting as well.
No need to stay overnight in Turkestan, this is really the only sight worth seeing. Make sure you have a good guide, who can tell you the history of the Mausoleum.
No need to stay overnight in Turkestan, this is really the only sight worth seeing. Make sure you have a good guide, who can tell you the history of the Mausoleum.
Written January 27, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Monika J
Warsaw, Poland373 contributions
May 2016 • Friends
It's 2 hours trip by car from Shymkent. On Sunday lots of school kids, so it is good to go there early. But it is really worth to go, beautiful architecture, old bath/bania, cultural museum.
Written May 16, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
StrannikSveta
Doha, Qatar6 contributions
Aug 2015 • Solo
Unlike many of the medieval buildings that you'll find in other Central Asian cities, this mausoleum is still an active pilgrimage destination. I highly recommend anyone visiting Kazakhstan to come here and combine it with a trip to other ancient sites in the area (Otrar, Sauran, etc). There are taxi drivers near the entrance of the Mausoleum whom you can hire for a day excursion to these other sites.
Written September 19, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Здравствуйте.Работает ли мавзолей сейчас и будет ли работать в сентябре?
Written August 20, 2020
Planning to do a day trip to Turkestan from Shymkent, could anyone advise how to get to the bus station in Shymkent? and how to return to Shymkent from Turkestan, thanks!
Written August 21, 2017
Hey man, still planning to go there? I can help you out
Written November 5, 2017
Ciao,
l anno prossimo andrò anche io in Kazakistan. riesci per favore a farmi avere i riferimenti di chi vi ha fatto da guida.
Grazie.
Paola Monico, Italy
Written September 12, 2016
Jeremy D
Honolulu, Hawaii
Hello, I have a few questions, as I cannot seem to find the answers online. I am visiting Kazakhstan, and want to visit Turkestan. We are planning on flying into Shymkent, But are wondering if its possible to do a day trip? Can we fly into Shymkent at 9am in the morning, take a taxi to see Turkestan and be back in Shymkent to catch a 10pm flight? Or do we need to stay two days? I cannot find any information on car hire or taxis if this is possible. All I can find information on is a train. We are also intrested in seeing Otrar (Farab) and dont know if e can do this all in a day. We would like to fly in to Shymkent, hire a taxi or driver to take us to see Turkestan and Otrar and back to Shymkent iin one day. How long would this take? Any help you can give would be great!
Written February 11, 2016
Hi,
maybe my answer is too late but I think it is possible to visit Turkestan in one day. There are agency in Shymkent, hope they are able organise trip. Any way it will be better go with someone who speak english and kazakh (russian).
Written March 17, 2016
Эльвира С
Shymkent, Kazakhstan
Добрый день, хотели б уточнить, как можно попасть в мавзолей на неке кую
Written July 23, 2015
Хотите Туркестан святые местам обратитесь 87054864415 Темирхан
Written November 15, 2015
Эльвира С
Shymkent, Kazakhstan
Добрый день, хотели б уточнить, как можно попасть в мавзолей на неке кую
Written July 23, 2015
Здравствуйте! Мы ездили как паломники, с группой. У нас был руководитель. Я думаю, что те кто организовывает такие поездки помогут Вам. Надеюсь, что я Вам хоть чем то помогла. Всего Вам доброго!
Written July 24, 2015
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