तुर्किस्तान (शहर)

Understand

In the 11th century CE, the great Sufi sheikh Khoja Ahmed Yasawi lived and preached here. At the end of the 14th century, Emir Timur ordered the creation of a large mausoleum, mosque and madrassah on the site of his grave. Later, it became the capital of the Kazakh Khanate, and a large number of Kazakh khans, batyrs, generals, and well-known statesmen of the Kazakh Khanate were buried here. Now this place has become a tourist attraction and a .

Although historically part of the Kazakh Khanate, Turkestan used to have a majority population of Uzbeks, who constitute a large minority. Turkestan was the seat of the Kazakh khans up to the occupation of Kazakhstan by the Russian Empire. Archaeological excavations often take place in the city and in the suburbs. If you are lucky in the summer, you can witness these excavations by archaeological expeditions.

Due to Khoja Ahmad Yasavi's highly revered status among Turkic Muslims and the Soviet-era restrictions on international travel, Muslims of Central Asia have for long considered the city "the Second Mecca of the East", and traditionally have believed that a visit to Yasavi's mausoleum is equal to the Hajj to Mecca. In line with this tradition, the Turkic Council, an international organization of Turkic-speaking countries, proclaimed the city "the spiritual capital of the Turkic world" in 2021.

Get around

Public buses operate in Turkestan. Public transport directions are available on Yandex Maps. A useful line is bus 15, which runs from the train station to the mausoleum via Merey bus station. A ticket costs 100 tenge (July 2025).

The Yandex Go ride hailing app operates in Turkestan.

See

thumb|Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi thumb|Turkestan railway station

Do

The area around the Yasavi Mausoleum has a number of historical buildings and a large mosque. It's a nice park to walk around if not only for the monuments. There isn't a huge amount to do in Turkestan outside of the centre. Football: FC Turan were relegated in 2025 so they now play soccer in First Division, the second tier. Turkistan Arena (capacity 7000) is 5 km east of city centre. The playing season is March-Nov.

Buy

The main bazaar is on the road to Merey bus station (Avtovokzal Merey) from the Mausoleum. The local kurt (hard, salty balls of dried sour cream that taste a little like parmesan) is very good; there are lots of villages just outside the city where it is made. Otherwise, the usual market fare is offered; fresh fruits and vegetables, hot snacks like samsa, dairy, and electronics. The market is not very touristy and does not sell many nicknacks rather what locals need in their day to day lives.