Euronews visits Turkistan, the holy city of Asian Muslims and UNESCO’s cultural site with its ancient streets, a 14th century mausoleum, 16th century baths and 21st century tourist attractions.
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Turkistan – the city that lies in the hot, dry steppe of southwestern Kazakhstan. This ancient place of caravan sarays on the Silk Road, holy to the Muslims, attracts over a million visitors every year. Some of them come as pilgrims, to pay respects to the holy teacher Hoja Ahmad Jasawi, who wrote religious verses and taught disciples in the 12 the century. Some come simply to admire the old architecture and archeological treasures around. All of them flock, as by some kind of gravity, at the magnificent, awe-inspiring mausoleum built by Turco-Mongol conqueror and the founder of the Timurid Empire, Tamberlaine the Great.
With its richly decorated blue-tile façade and imposing domes, the mausoleum is both the place of prayer and a tourist attraction. It is included in the UNESCO’s list of cultural heritage.
But the city is not just a place of history and religion. It offers many modern day attractions for tourists and one can enjoy ethno streets and engage in old crafts and martial arts, fly over Kazakhstan in the seat of the flying theater, visit museums or a great park. A modern park recreating oasis resting place for caravans offers shopping and an evening show on water. With Kazakhstan government making an effort to make the city more accessible by rail or air travel, one should definitely think about putting this place on the travel agenda.
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