Turkistan history

Foundation and First Mentions

The history of Turkistan spans over 1,500 years, making it one of the oldest cities in Kazakhstan. Archaeological studies confirm that the first settlements in this territory appeared in the 4th–6th centuries AD. Initially, the city was known as Shavgar, serving as the administrative centre of the oasis, and from the 12th century, the name Yasy became established in historical sources.

Key Development Factors

The transformation of a small settlement into a major regional centre was driven by several strategic factors:

• The Great Silk Road: The city was located at a busy crossroads of caravan routes connecting the Desht-i-Kipchak steppe with the agricultural centres of Central Asia (Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khorezm).
• Religious Significance: A decisive role was played by the activities of the Sufi poet and preacher Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, who lived here in the 12th century. His authority turned the city into a sacred place for pilgrims.
• Political Influence: At the end of the 14th century, by the order of Emir Timur, a grand mausoleum was erected here, which definitively secured the city's status as the spiritual capital of the Turkic world.

Early Cultural and Economic Features

During the medieval period, Yasy (Turkistan) formed as a unique centre of symbiosis between nomadic and settled cultures. The city's economy flourished due to large-scale bazaars, where nomads exchanged livestock and animal products for grain, fabrics, and artisanal goods from the townspeople. Pottery, blacksmithing, and madrasahs developed actively here, making the city not only a trading hub but also an educational centre of the region.

Major Historical Milestones

• V–VI centuries: Emergence of the first settlements on the site of the modern city, known in early sources as Shavgar.
• XII century: The city is mentioned under the name Yasy and strengthens its position as an important node on the Great Silk Road.
• 1166: The passing of the great Sufi poet Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, after which Yasy turns into a significant centre of pilgrimage.
• 1396–1405: By the order of Emir Timur, the construction of a grand mausoleum over the saint's grave is carried out, which has survived to this day.
• XVI century: The modern name Turkistan is definitively secured for the city.
• XVI–XVIII centuries: Turkistan serves as the political and spiritual capital of the Kazakh Khanate, becoming the burial place for many Khans and Biys (judges).
• 1864: The city becomes part of the Russian Empire, leading to the appearance of new architectural styles and districts.
• 1906: The Orenburg-Tashkent railway is laid through Turkistan, giving an impetus to the economic development of the region.
• 1991: With Kazakhstan gaining independence, the city becomes an important cultural and historical centre of the republic.
• 1992: Opening of the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, becoming a symbol of friendship between Turkic peoples.
• 2000: The 1500th anniversary of Turkistan is celebrated at the international level under the auspices of UNESCO.
• 2003: The Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi becomes the first Kazakhstani monument included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
• 2018: Turkistan receives the status of the administrative centre of the Turkistan Region, launching a large-scale city modernisation programme.
• 2021: At the summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States, the city is officially declared the Spiritual Capital of the Turkic World.

Key Stages of the City's Transformation

The development of Turkistan is a journey from a caravan stop to a modern tourist and administrative centre. Several turning points can be highlighted that radically changed the economy, culture, and urban appearance of the city:

• Rise on the Silk Road (X–XII centuries):
  Transformation from a local settlement into an international trade hub. This period defined the city's economic specialisation as a centre for the exchange of goods and ideas between the Steppe and settled civilisations.
• Architectural Dominance of the Timurids (late XIV century):
  The construction of the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi not only secured its spiritual status but also formed the urban core. Residential and commercial infrastructure was built around the monumental complex for centuries, defining the radial layout of the centre.
• Capital Status (XVI–XVIII centuries):
  The period when the city became the political centre of the Kazakh Khanate. This led to the development of diplomatic ties and the formation of a necropolis for the nobility, which strengthened the cultural and historical significance of the city for national identity.
• Transport Revolution (1906):
  The launch of the Orenburg-Tashkent railway integrated the city into a new logistics network. This spurred the development of industry (cotton ginning plants) and an influx of new residents, changing the demographic composition.
• Educational Renaissance (1990s):
  The opening of the International Kazakh-Turkish University attracted youth and professors from different countries. This revitalised the urban environment, stimulated the service sector, and returned the city to its status as a centre of Turkic culture.
• Global Recognition (2003):
  The inclusion of the mausoleum in the UNESCO list moved tourism to a new level. Requirements for preserving the historical landscape appeared, influencing development and restoration rules in the monument's buffer zone.
• New Urbanisation (from 2018):
  Obtaining the status of a regional centre launched the largest construction project in the city's modern history. The appearance of an international airport, an administrative business centre, and the "Keruen-Saray" tourist complex transformed Turkistan into a modern city with developed hospitality infrastructure.

Urban Core and Medieval Architecture

The architectural appearance of Turkistan formed around its main shrine, which defined the radial-ring structure of the historical centre. The dominant feature of the cityscape for centuries remains the complex erected in the Timurid era. It is a classic example of Central Asian Islamic architecture, characterised by monumentality, the use of fired brick, and rich decoration.

• Timurid Era (late XIV – early XV century): The main style defining the city's identity. The brightest example is the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. The building is distinguished by a grand portal (peshtak), ribbed turquoise domes, and exquisite cladding of glazed tiles and majolica with epigraphic ornaments.
• Traditional Development (XV–XIX centuries): The historical environment (shahristan and rabad) formed around the mausoleum with chaotic planning, narrow streets, and single-story adobe houses with flat roofs, characteristic of the vernacular architecture of southern Kazakhstan.

Colonial Period and Soviet Modernism

With the arrival of the Russian Empire and later in the Soviet era, the city began to expand beyond the fortress walls, acquiring features of regular planning.

• Brick Style (late XIX – early XX century): Associated with the construction of the railway. Buildings of this period, such as the Railway Station (1903), are made of red brick with elements of eclecticism and rationalism, bringing European engineering solutions to an Asian city.
• Soviet Functionalism and Modernism (XX century): During this period, residential micro-districts and administrative quarters were built. Architecture became utilitarian: standard apartment buildings, schools, and houses of culture, devoid of excesses but providing social infrastructure for the growing city.

New Era: Eastern Renaissance and Postmodernism

After receiving the status of a regional centre in 2018, Turkistan is experiencing an unprecedented construction boom. The city's modern architecture represents an attempt to reimagine historical heritage using the latest technologies.

• Neo-Orientalism and Ethno-Modern (XXI century): The new administrative and business centre and tourist facilities are stylised as ancient Oriental structures but are made of glass and concrete.
• Landmarks of the New Time:
  • "Keruen-Saray" Complex: A large-scale tourist centre, the architecture of which mimics traditional Oriental bazaars and caravanserais of the Silk Road.
  • Music and Drama Theatre: An example of a modern interpretation of classical forms using golden elements and panoramic glazing.
  • New Airport: The terminal, the roof of which resembles an open book or the wings of a bird, combines high-tech with national motifs.

Distinguished Personalities

Turkistan is rightfully called the spiritual pantheon of the Great Steppe. The history of the city is inextricably linked with the names of great rulers, thinkers, and preachers whose activities influenced the course of history not only in Kazakhstan but throughout Central Asia. Many of them found their final resting place here.

• Khoja Ahmed Yasawi (1093–1166)
  Poet, philosopher, Sufi mystic
  The central figure in the city's history. Founder of the Turkic branch of Sufism and author of the famous collection of poems "Divani Hikmet" ("Book of Wisdom"). He spent most of his life in Yasy (the ancient name of Turkistan), preaching Islam and moral values. It was thanks to his authority that the city became a place of pilgrimage.
• Emir Timur (Tamerlane) (1336–1405)
  Military commander, founder of the Timurid Empire
  Although Timur did not live in the city permanently, he played a key role in shaping its modern appearance. In 1395, by his personal decree, the construction of a grand mausoleum over the grave of Ahmed Yasawi began. This decision turned Turkistan into an architectural gem and secured its high status.
• Esim Khan (died 1628)
  Ruler of the Kazakh Khanate
  The Khan who made Turkistan the capital of the Kazakh Khanate in the 17th century. Known as a reformer and author of the code of laws "The Ancient Path of Khan Esim". Under him, the city became not only a spiritual but also the main political centre of the state. His mausoleum is located next to the Yasawi complex.
• Ablai Khan (1711–1781)
  Great Khan, commander, diplomat
  One of the most famous rulers in Kazakh history, who managed to unite the zhuzes (hordes) and preserve the independence of the state in a complex geopolitical situation. Ablai Khan is buried in the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, which emphasises his exceptional significance for the people.
• Tauke Khan (1635–1715)
  Khan, legislator
  A wise ruler under whom the famous code of laws "Zhety Zhargy" (Seven Charters) was adopted. It was in Turkistan, which became a centre of diplomacy under Tauke Khan, that kurultais (people's assemblies) were held, where fateful questions of the nation were decided.
• Rabiga Sultan Begim (XV century)
  Daughter of Ulugh Beg, wife of Khan Abulkhair
  A representative of the Timurid dynasty, whose marriage to the Khan of the nomadic Uzbeks symbolised the union of steppe and settled cultures. Her mausoleum is an important part of the "Azret-Sultan" historical and cultural reserve and testifies to the high status of women in the political life of that time.
• Kazybek Bi (1667–1764)
  Great Biy (judge), orator, public figure
  One of the three main biys who participated in the creation of the "Zhety Zhargy" code of laws. He possessed an outstanding diplomatic gift ("Kazybek of the ringing voice"). Like many representatives of the Kazakh elite, he was buried in sacred Turkistan, by the walls of the mausoleum.