My route
Sign in
WorldKazakhstanTurkestanMausoleum of Khoja Ahmed YasawiMy routeRoute

Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, Turkestan

Unfinished brick portal and tiled walls of the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi Mausoleum with a large turquoise ribbed dome
Photo: Adam Harangozó, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Ticket covers
The mausoleum and its grounds, the Yasawi Museum and the Hall of Rare Exhibits
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Hours
Daily 8:00–18:30
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
1 h
With kids
Fine with kids
Foreign visitors (non-CIS)
5,000 ₸
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
CIS citizens
2,000 ₸
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Kazakh citizens
1,000 ₸; students and pensioners 500 ₸, schoolchildren 300 ₸
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Where to buy
Ticket desk at the entrance, or online via Ticketon
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Payment
Foreign Visa and Mastercard usually work in Kazakhstan; carry some tenge cash for the desk
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Dress code
Shoulders and knees covered; headscarf for women
Time needed
≈ 1 hour; half a day for the reserve
Location
Hazret Sultan reserve, 3 min on foot from the main gate on Bekzat Sattarkhanov Avenue
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Coordinates
43.29764, 68.27104YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

1389–1405built on Timur’s orders and abandoned unfinished when he died
2 sourcesEnglish Wikipedia (start 1389)Russian Wikipedia (dates the start to 1395–1397)
18.2 macross — the Kazandyk hall’s dome, the largest surviving brick dome in Central Asia
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
2003Kazakhstan’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site
2 sourcesEnglish WikipediaWikidata Q46069
1093–1166Khoja Ahmed Yasawi’s lifetime — Turkic poet and head of a Sufi school in Yasi, today’s Turkestan
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
≈ 38–39 mheight of the building under the main dome
2 sourcesEnglish Wikipedia (38.7 m)Russian Wikipedia (39 m)
35+rooms around the central hall: tomb chamber, mosque, palace halls, library, refectory, well room
2 sourcesEnglish and Russian WikipediaTonkosti
1399the taikazan was cast — a bronze ritual cauldron of about 2 tonnes, Timur’s gift
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaTonkosti
1935 → 1989the cauldron went to the Hermitage in Leningrad and came back decades later
3 sourcesCaravan.kz (1935)Hazret Sultan reserve — 30th-anniversary exhibition of its return (2019)Russian Wikipedia gives 1934 and 1988
Bare brickthe main portal never got its tile facing — work stopped in 1405
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
Ablai Khanis buried inside, along with many other Kazakh khans and nobles
SourceEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
1397date on the bronze lamp in the main hall — another gift from Timur
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaTonkosti

Yasawi Mausoleum tickets and opening hours

Since 10 June 2026, foreign visitors from outside the CIS pay 5,000 ₸, CIS citizens 2,000 ₸ and Kazakh adults 1,000 ₸. The prices were set by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Culture and Information and published by the Hazret Sultan reserve, which runs the site.

One ticket covers the mausoleum and its grounds, the Yasawi Museum and the Hall of Rare Exhibits. Buy it at the desk by the entrance or online through Ticketon, the platform the reserve itself links to. Bring your passport — the price depends on your nationality.

Since 1 September 2026 the mausoleum and the museums on its grounds are open daily, 8:00–18:30, with no closing day. Hours shift with the seasons, so check the reserve’s latest notice if you’re visiting in summer.

Paying: Visa and Mastercard issued outside Russia usually work across Kazakhstan, and taxi apps take cards. Still, keep some tenge cash for the ticket desk; unofficial reports mention ATMs on the grounds.

How to get to the Yasawi Mausoleum

Tap a route to highlight it on the map.

Loading the map…

on footdestinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

On foot

More tips

  1. From Turkistan’s Hazret Sultan International Airport (HSA), about 22 km east of the old town, take a taxi — roughly 25 minutes.
  2. From the railway station or the long-distance bus station on the west side of town, a taxi takes 10–15 minutes. Yandex Go works here and takes foreign cards.
  3. Ask for the main gate of the Hazret Sultan reserve (Әзірет Сұлтан) on Bekzat Sattarkhanov Avenue — city buses stop there too.
  4. Buy your ticket at the desk or show your Ticketon e-ticket.
  5. Walk up the avenue to the portal — about 3 minutes. The Rabiya Sultan Begim Mausoleum, the Hilvet underground mosque and the medieval bathhouse are all 2–5 minutes away.

Is the Yasawi Mausoleum worth visiting?

Yes — it’s the reason to come to Turkestan, and one of the finest Timurid buildings anywhere. If you’ve already done Samarkand, this one is different: the unfinished portal shows the raw brick that the polished Samarkand façades hide.

Come at opening time or in the last couple of hours: mornings are cooler and quieter, and late light warms the brick and tiles. Fridays around midday prayer and Muslim holidays bring many more pilgrims.

Short on time? An hour inside is enough. But the rest of the reserve is a few steps away and makes an easy half-day walk.

Who was Khoja Ahmed Yasawi and why is the mausoleum unfinished?

Khoja Ahmed Yasawi (1093–1166) was a Turkic poet and Sufi master who led a school of mysticism in Yasi, the town now called Turkestan. He was buried in a small tomb that quickly became a pilgrimage site, and the town later took the name Hazrat-e Turkestan — “the saint of Turkestan”.

In the late 14th century Timur ordered a vast new mausoleum over the grave and brought in craftsmen from the Persian cities he had conquered. He died in 1405 and the work stopped. The main portal never received its tiles.

That unfinished state is what makes the building fascinating: you can see how it was made. The double dome, the tilework and the muqarnas tested here were later used across Timur’s empire. When Turkestan became the Kazakh Khanate’s capital, khans and nobles were buried around the shrine.

What to see inside

  • Kazandyk, the 18.2 × 18.2 m main hall under the largest surviving brick dome in Central Asia.
  • The taikazan at its centre — a bronze cauldron cast in 1399, about 2 tonnes; on holy days it was filled with water for pilgrims.
  • The entrance to Yasawi’s tomb chamber, with its carved door and green-tiled cenotaph.
  • A bronze lamp dated 1397, also Timur’s gift.
  • The tombstone of Ablai Khan at the entrance to the large palace hall.
  • Outside: the bare brick portal, then the tiled patterns and inscriptions on the side and rear walls.
  • The turquoise ribbed dome over the tomb — best seen from the north-west side.

Before you go: checklist

Ready: 0 of 7

Tick what is ready — your ticks stay in this browser.

Turkestan’s shrines compared

Mausoleums and mosques in and around Turkestan rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawiyou are here451 h5,000 ₸ foreigners, 2,000 ₸ CIS—
Mausoleum of Rabiya Sultan Begim4515 minYasawi zone ticket · 2,000–5,000 ₸3 min walk
Hilvet Underground Mosque4020 min5,000 ₸ foreigners · 2,000 ₸ CIS3 min walk
Arystan Bab Mausoleum3040 minSmall fee · amount not published49.7 km
Ukasha Ata291 hFree entry (unofficial)35.2 km

The Hazret Sultan reserve in half a day

Yasawi’s mausoleum, the tomb of Timur’s great-granddaughter, the underground cell, the medieval bathhouse and an evening at Keruen Saray. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and walks.

  1. Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawiyou are here1 h · 5,000 ₸ foreigners, 2,000 ₸ CIS
  2. 3 min walk from the previous stopMausoleum of Rabiya Sultan Begim15 min · Yasawi zone ticket · 2,000–5,000 ₸
  3. 3 min walk from the previous stopHilvet Underground Mosque20 min · 5,000 ₸ foreigners · 2,000 ₸ CIS
  4. 3 min walk from the previous stopTurkestan Oriental Bathhouse20 min · 5,000 ₸ foreigners · 2,000 ₸ CIS
  5. 13 min walk from the previous stopKeruen Saray1 h 30 min · Free entry; rides and shows extra

5 places · about 3 h 47 min with walks · 22 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Mausoleum of Rabiya Sultan Begim

Turkestan, Kazakhstan

15 min · Yasawi zone ticket · 2,000–5,000 ₸ · 3 min walk

Hilvet Underground Mosque

Turkestan, Kazakhstan

20 min · 5,000 ₸ foreigners · 2,000 ₸ CIS · 3 min walk

Turkestan Citadel Walls

Turkestan, Kazakhstan

45 min · Reserve ticket: 5,000 ₸ for foreigners · 3 min walk

Turkestan Oriental Bathhouse

Turkestan, Kazakhstan

20 min · 5,000 ₸ foreigners · 2,000 ₸ CIS · 3 min walk

How to do it right

  • Local pilgrims visit the Arystan Bab Mausoleum, tomb of Yasawi’s teacher, before coming here. It pairs well with the ruins of Otrar on the same day trip.
  • Cool off in the evening at Keruen Saray, a 10-minute walk east.
  • The best full shot of the portal and both domes is from the citadel walls.
  • Consider a guide: most of the detail in the rooms is easy to miss without someone explaining it.
  • In summer the square is hot and shadeless at midday — come at opening time.

Questions

How much is the Yasawi Mausoleum entrance fee?

5,000 ₸ for foreign visitors from outside the CIS, 2,000 ₸ for CIS citizens and 1,000 ₸ for Kazakh adults. These prices apply since 10 June 2026.

What are the opening hours?

Since 1 September 2026, daily from 8:00 to 18:30. Summer hours can differ.

How do I get to the Yasawi Mausoleum from the airport?

By taxi: Hazret Sultan Airport (HSA) is about 22 km east, roughly 25 minutes. Ask for the main gate of the Hazret Sultan reserve.

What should I wear?

Cover shoulders and knees; women should wear a headscarf. Bring your own scarf.

How long do you need at the mausoleum?

About an hour inside. Half a day if you add Rabiya Sultan Begim, the Hilvet and the bathhouse.

Is the Yasawi Mausoleum worth it?

Yes. It’s Turkestan’s main sight and one of the most important Timurid buildings, with Central Asia’s largest surviving brick dome.

Why is the mausoleum unfinished?

Work ordered by Timur stopped when he died in 1405. The main portal never got its tile facing.

Can I pay by card?

Foreign Visa and Mastercard usually work in Kazakhstan, and you can buy online via Ticketon. Carry some tenge cash for the desk just in case.

Can you take photos inside?

Sources differ on the rules inside. Ask the attendant at the door, and never photograph people at prayer.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Hazret Sultan National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve: notice on prices from 10.06.2026 (Ministry of Culture and Information order No. 242-nq of 25.05.2026)
  • Hazret Sultan Museum-Reserve: notice on opening hours from 01.09.2026; notice on restoration in the mosque and library rooms, 23.09.2026; tickets page
  • NewTimes.kz, 12.06.2026 — new entrance prices
  • English and Russian Wikipedia: Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi; Wikidata Q46069
  • Tonkosti: Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
  • Caravan.kz — on the taikazan and its removal in 1935
  • Bucketlistly: Turkestan travel guide — Yandex Go and card payment for taxis
  • A Social Nomad: Turkestan travel guide — dress code, cash and ATMs
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 02.11.2026 ·
How we checkedPrices come from the Hazret Sultan reserve’s notice of 10 June 2026 and were cross-checked with NewTimes.kz; hours from the reserve’s notice of 28 August 2026. The reserve’s website footer still says 09:00–18:00 — the office hours — and an older price page gave 09:00–19:00; we show the latest notice. No closing day has been announced. Construction dates differ: English Wikipedia gives 1389 for the start, Russian Wikipedia 1395–1397, so we show both. Dome figures differ too: 18.2 m per English Wikipedia and the Kazandyk description in Russian Wikipedia, while other passages and Tonkosti give 22 m across and 44 m high; we keep 18.2 m. The cauldron’s return: 1989 per the reserve’s 30th-anniversary exhibition, 1988 per Russian Wikipedia; its removal: 1935 per Caravan.kz, 1934 per Wikipedia. ATMs on the grounds and card payment at the desk are unofficial. Sources disagree on photography and shoes inside, so we give no fixed rule. We found no confirmed city bus numbers to the reserve and name none.

Top YesGo picks: Turkestan

Keruen Saray

Turkestan, Kazakhstan

1 h 30 min · Free entry; rides and shows extra

Arystan Bab Mausoleum

Turkestan, Kazakhstan

40 min · Small fee · amount not published

Otrar

Turkestan, Kazakhstan

1 h 30 min · KZT 500, children KZT 200

Ukasha Ata

Turkestan, Kazakhstan

1 h · Free entry (unofficial)

Sauran

Turkestan, Kazakhstan

1 h 30 min · Free (unofficial)

All places: Turkestan →