# Mausoleum of Rabiya Sultan Begim, Turkestan

> The Mausoleum of Rabiya Sultan Begim is a small octagonal tomb with a turquoise dome in Turkestan’s Hazret Sultan reserve, about 60 m south-east of the Yasawi Mausoleum. Ulugh Beg’s daughter is buried here. There’s no separate ticket: it sits in the Yasawi zone, which costs **5,000 ₸** for most foreign visitors and 2,000 ₸ for CIS citizens. Open daily 8:00–18:30; 15 minutes is enough. What you see is a 1980 rebuild.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/rabiya-sultan-begim-mausoleum

- City: [Turkestan](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan), Kazakhstan
- YesGo score: 45/100 (Yes, if nearby)
- Time on site: 15 min
- With kids: Fine with kids
- Entry: No separate ticket — the Yasawi zone ticket
- Foreign visitors (non-CIS): 5,000 ₸
- CIS citizens: 2,000 ₸
- Kazakh citizens: 1,000 ₸; students and pensioners 500 ₸, schoolchildren 300 ₸
- Hours (Yasawi zone): Daily 8:00–18:30; summer 8:00–20:00
- Getting in: Turnstiles since 15 February 2026 — bring your passport and ticket
- Inside: Not officially stated; plan to see it from outside
- Payment: Foreign Visa and Mastercard usually work in Kazakhstan; carry tenge cash for the desk
- Dress code: Shoulders and knees covered; headscarf for women
- Time needed: ≈ 15 minutes
- Coordinates: 43.29690, 68.27190
- Facts checked: 02.11.2026

## Key facts

- **1485** — Rabiya Sultan Begim died; the mausoleum was built after that (source: Hazret Sultan reserve website; English and Russian Wikipedia)
- **Ulugh Beg’s daughter** — and Timur’s great-granddaughter, married to Abu’l-Khayr Khan in 1451 (source: Hazret Sultan reserve website; English Wikipedia)
- **1896 → 1980** — the crumbling tomb was pulled down, then rebuilt in 1980 (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Hazret Sultan reserve website (1980 restoration); Archaeology.kz (early 1980s))
- **≈ 60 m** — south-east of the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi (source: Hazret Sultan reserve website; English Wikipedia)
- **5 rooms** — an octagonal central hall and four side chambers (source: Hazret Sultan reserve website; Archaeology.kz)
- **1951–1957** — excavations found a crypt with burials under the floor (source: Hazret Sultan reserve website; Russian Wikipedia)
- **Grandson and great-grandchildren** — lie beside her; her son Suyunch-Khoja Khan is buried elsewhere (source: Hazret Sultan reserve website; Russian Wikipedia)
- **17 years** — Rabiya lived in Turkestan after her husband’s death (source: Hazret Sultan reserve website; Russian Wikipedia)
- **National significance** — a protected historical and cultural monument of Kazakhstan (source: Archaeology.kz; Russian Wikipedia)
- **Majolica** — glazed fragments from the dig show the tomb was once clad in coloured tiles (source: Hazret Sultan reserve website; Archaeology.kz)

> **It’s a reconstruction, not a 15th-century building** The original tomb was demolished in 1896 and the ruins levelled. What stands today was rebuilt in 1980 on the old footings, using what the excavations revealed — only the foundations and crypt are original. Don’t come to Turkestan for this alone, but it’s a two-minute detour from the [Yasawi Mausoleum](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/khoja-ahmed-yasawi-mausoleum), so don’t skip it either.

## Is it worth visiting?

Yes, as a short stop. It’s on the same ticket and the same walk as the Yasawi Mausoleum, and in fifteen minutes you get a Timurid-style dome, a good photo angle and a story most visitors miss: the woman buried here was Ulugh Beg’s daughter, the link between Samarkand’s ruling family and the khans of the steppe.

Keep expectations modest. The building is a 20th-century reconstruction with plain brick walls; only the drum and dome carry tiles. There’s no exhibition inside, and the reserve doesn’t say whether the door is open to visitors. If you’ve seen Samarkand’s Shah-i-Zinda, this will feel small. If your time is tight, see it from outside on your way to the bathhouse and the Hilvet.

## Who was Rabiya Sultan Begim?

**Rabiya Sultan Begim** was a Timurid princess, a daughter of **Ulugh Beg** — the astronomer-ruler of Samarkand — and a great-granddaughter of Timur. In 1451 she became the fourth wife of **Abu’l-Khayr Khan**, ruler of the Uzbek Khanate, and mother of two future khans, Kuchkunji and Suyunch-Khoja.

After her husband died she spent her last 17 years in Turkestan and died there around 1485, at roughly sixty. Her birth year isn’t known for sure; the reserve’s historians place it between 1420 and 1430. You’ll see her name spelled Rabiya, Rabia, Rabiga or, in Kazakh, Rabiğa Sultan Begim.

Her tombstone inscription calls her the daughter of Ulugh Beg and granddaughter of Timur — Ulugh Beg was himself Timur’s grandson — and asks God to light their graves until Judgement Day.

## Who is buried in the mausoleum?

Besides Rabiya, the tomb holds her grandson and great-grandchildren. Uzbek archaeologists opened a large crypt under the floor in 1951–1957 and found a man and a woman buried side by side, with three children between them.

According to the reserve, the family buried here includes the children of Keldi Muhammad Sultan, Suyunch-Khoja’s son: Kul Muhammad Sultan (died 1523), Mubarak Shah Sultan and Mastura Khanum (both died 1519). Suyunch-Khoja Khan himself, who died in 1525, lies elsewhere. It is effectively a family tomb of the Shaybanids, Abu’l-Khayr’s descendants, who in the 16th century ruled Bukhara, Tashkent and Turkestan.

## History: demolished and rebuilt

The mausoleum stood for four centuries and was falling apart by the late 1800s. In **1896** it was demolished and the ruins were levelled. The crypt was rediscovered in the 1950s: K. A. Shakhurin made the first scholarly survey in 1954, and digs continued until 1957.

In **1980** restorers rebuilt it on the original foundations, guided by the surviving wall stumps, decoration fragments and comparable Timurid tombs; Archaeology.kz describes a full reconstruction in the early 1980s. So the dome, drum and walls you see are 20th-century work. The site is a protected monument of national significance.

## Tickets and opening hours

There’s no separate ticket for this mausoleum. Since 10 June 2026, entry to the Yasawi Mausoleum zone, the Yasawi Museum and the Hall of Rare Exhibits costs **5,000 ₸** for foreign visitors from outside the CIS and **2,000 ₸** for CIS citizens; Kazakh citizens pay 1,000 ₸. Buy at the ticket desk or online through the Ticketon app, which the reserve links to.

Since 15 February 2026 the grounds around Yasawi are fenced, and you enter through turnstiles with ID and a ticket. Unofficially, the Rabiya Sultan Begim tomb is inside that zone and covered by the same ticket. The zone is open daily 8:00–18:30 since 1 September 2026, and 8:00–20:00 in summer; it closes on 1 January.

Payment: foreign Visa and Mastercard cards generally work in Kazakhstan, but small desks can be cash-only, so carry some tenge. Unofficially, there are Halyk Bank ATMs on the reserve grounds.

## What to see

- **The turquoise dome on its tall drum**, ringed by a blue-and-white tiled inscription — the reason to come.
- **Eight sides with arched recesses** — the classic Timurid tomb plan you’ll also see in Samarkand.
- **The entrance portal facing north-west** — straight at the Yasawi Mausoleum; stand by it and look at both buildings together.
- **Bare brick walls** — compare them with Yasawi’s unfinished portal next door.
- **Two domes in one frame** — step back to the south-east and Yasawi’s great dome rises behind this one.

> **Dress code** This is part of a working pilgrimage site. Cover shoulders and knees — men too — and women should bring a headscarf. Keep your voice down and don’t photograph people praying.

## How to get to the Rabiya Sultan Begim Mausoleum

1. From Hazret Sultan International Airport (HSA), about 22 km east, take a taxi to the main gate of the Hazret Sultan reserve on Bekzat Sattarkhanov Avenue — about 25 minutes. From the railway or bus station on the west side, it’s 10–15 minutes; Yandex Go works for booking.
2. At the main gate, buy a ticket at the desk or show your Ticketon ticket, and pass the turnstiles with your passport.
3. Walk up the avenue to the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi — about 3 minutes.
4. From Yasawi’s portal, head south-east: the turquoise dome is in plain sight about 60 m away, a two-minute walk.
5. Carry on 2–5 minutes to the [Eastern bathhouse](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/turkestan-bathhouse) and the [Hilvet underground mosque](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/turkestan-hilvet).

## Rabiya Sultan Begim or Yasawi?

|  | Rabiya Sultan Begim | Khoja Ahmed Yasawi |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Whose tomb | Ulugh Beg’s daughter, Abu’l-Khayr Khan’s wife | 12th-century Sufi poet |
| Built | After 1485 | 1389–1405, on Timur’s orders |
| Today | 1980 reconstruction | Original building, UNESCO World Heritage Site |
| Inside | Not stated — seen from outside | Main hall open |
| Ticket | Covered by the Yasawi zone ticket | 5,000 ₸ non-CIS, 2,000 ₸ CIS |
| Time needed | ≈ 15 min | ≈ 1 hour |

Yasawi is why you come to Turkestan; Rabiya Sultan Begim is a short stop beside it on the same ticket.

## Before you go

Tick off what’s ready — your ticks are saved in this browser.

- [ ] Passport — the turnstiles need ID
- [ ] Tenge cash or a Ticketon ticket
- [ ] Shoulders and knees covered; headscarf for women
- [ ] Arriving before 18:30
- [ ] Half a day for the whole reserve
- [ ] Water and a hat in summer

## Turkestan’s history: compare and choose

Historic sites in and around Turkestan rated by YesGo.

- [Mausoleum of Rabiya Sultan Begim](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/rabiya-sultan-begim-mausoleum) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 15 min · Yasawi zone ticket · 2,000–5,000 ₸
- [Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/khoja-ahmed-yasawi-mausoleum) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · 5,000 ₸ foreigners, 2,000 ₸ CIS
- [Turkestan Citadel Walls](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/turkestan-citadel) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Reserve ticket: 5,000 ₸ for foreigners
- [Hilvet Underground Mosque](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/turkestan-hilvet) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · 5,000 ₸ foreigners · 2,000 ₸ CIS
- [Turkestan Oriental Bathhouse](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/turkestan-bathhouse) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · 5,000 ₸ foreigners · 2,000 ₸ CIS
- [Arystan Bab Mausoleum](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/arystan-bab-mausoleum) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Small fee · amount not published
- [Otrar](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/otrar) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · KZT 500, children KZT 200
- [Ukasha Ata](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/ukasha-ata) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free entry (unofficial)
- [Sauran](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/sauran) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free (unofficial)

## The Hazret Sultan reserve in half a day

The Yasawi Mausoleum, the tomb of Timur’s great-granddaughter, the bathhouse, the underground Hilvet and the citadel walls — all on foot. Add them to your route and YesGo fits in the timing and walks.

1. [Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/khoja-ahmed-yasawi-mausoleum) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · 5,000 ₸ foreigners, 2,000 ₸ CIS
2. [Mausoleum of Rabiya Sultan Begim](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/rabiya-sultan-begim-mausoleum) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 15 min · Yasawi zone ticket · 2,000–5,000 ₸
3. [Turkestan Oriental Bathhouse](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/turkestan-bathhouse) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · 5,000 ₸ foreigners · 2,000 ₸ CIS
4. [Hilvet Underground Mosque](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/turkestan-hilvet) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 20 min · 5,000 ₸ foreigners · 2,000 ₸ CIS
5. [Turkestan Citadel Walls](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/turkestan-citadel) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Reserve ticket: 5,000 ₸ for foreigners

## Don’t confuse

This is not the Yasawi Mausoleum but the small tomb south-east of it. Rabiga Sultan Begim Street is a different place, east of the reserve. Other Timurid princesses with similar names are buried in Samarkand and Herat — this Rabiya lies in Turkestan.

## Tips

- See it straight after the Yasawi Mausoleum — it’s on the way to the bathhouse and the Hilvet, so it costs you no extra walking.
- The turquoise tiles look best in the morning or the last hour or two before closing; at summer noon the open square is very hot.
- For both domes in one photo, stand south-east of Rabiya’s tomb and shoot towards Yasawi.
- A guide from the ticket desk makes this stop: the Timurid–Shaybanid family story is what brings the plain building to life.
- In the evening walk about 10 minutes east to [Keruen Saray](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/turkestan/keruen-saray) for dinner.

## Questions

### Where is the Mausoleum of Rabiya Sultan Begim?

In Turkestan’s Hazret Sultan reserve, about 60 m south-east of the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi — roughly a 5-minute walk from the main gate on Bekzat Sattarkhanov Avenue.

### Do I need a ticket?

There’s no separate ticket. It sits in the Yasawi zone: 5,000 ₸ for foreign visitors from outside the CIS, 2,000 ₸ for CIS citizens, 1,000 ₸ for Kazakh citizens.

### Who was Rabiya Sultan Begim?

A Timurid princess, daughter of Ulugh Beg and great-granddaughter of Timur. She married Abu’l-Khayr Khan in 1451, bore two khans and died in Turkestan around 1485.

### Who is buried there?

Rabiya herself, with her grandson and great-grandchildren — Kul Muhammad Sultan, Mubarak Shah Sultan and Mastura Khanum.

### Can you go inside?

The reserve doesn’t say, and there’s no exhibition inside. Plan to see it from outside; if the door is open, go in dressed modestly and quietly.

### What are the opening hours?

The Yasawi zone is open daily 8:00–18:30 since 1 September 2026, and 8:00–20:00 in summer. It’s closed on 1 January.

### Is the building original?

No. The tomb was demolished in 1896 and rebuilt in 1980 on the old foundations. The footings and crypt are original.

### How long do I need?

About 15 minutes. Half a day covers the whole reserve with Yasawi, the bathhouse and the Hilvet.

### What should I wear?

Shoulders and knees covered; women should bring a headscarf — the same as for the Yasawi Mausoleum next door.

## How we checked

Prices, hours, the turnstiles and the 1 January closure come from the Hazret Sultan reserve’s official notices. Those notices don’t name this tomb: that it sits inside the ticketed Yasawi zone comes from A Social Nomad and is marked unofficial. We found no source saying whether the interior is open, so we don’t claim it. Demolition is 1896 per English and Russian Wikipedia; the 1898 date that sometimes appears could not be confirmed. Rebuilding is 1980 per Wikipedia and the reserve, early 1980s per Archaeology.kz; a 2000s restoration is not supported by any source. Distance from Yasawi is 60 m per the reserve and Wikipedia; OpenStreetMap puts the building centres about 110 m apart. We leave out the 20.6 m portal height from the reserve’s description, as it doesn’t fit the visible size of the building. Card acceptance and on-site ATMs are unofficial.

## Sources

- Hazret Sultan museum-reserve: “Mausoleum of Rabia Sultan Begim, 15th century” (31.07.2025)
- Hazret Sultan museum-reserve: price notice from 10.06.2026 (Order No. 242-NK of the Ministry of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan, 25.05.2026)
- Hazret Sultan museum-reserve: notices on hours from 01.06.2026 and 01.09.2026, turnstiles from 15.02.2026 and the 1 January closure; Tickets page
- Kazakhstanskaya Pravda, 20.02.2026 — on fencing the Yasawi grounds
- English Wikipedia: Mausoleum of Rabiya Sultan Begim; Russian Wikipedia; Wikidata Q12559483
- Archaeology.kz: Mausoleum of Rabiya Sultan Begim
- A Social Nomad: Turkestan travel guide, 2026 — ticket, dress code, cash and ATMs
- OpenStreetMap — location of the tomb and the reserve gate

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