Turkistan holds historical and cultural significance of Kazakhstan, particularly due to theMausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a UNESCOWorld Heritage site. This mausoleum is a key symbol of the city, drawing pilgrims and tourists alike.Khoja Ahmed Yasawi was a prominent Sufi mystic and philosopher, and his tomb is a revered site for followers ofIslam inCentral Asia. The city's rich cultural heritage is further reflected in its many historical monuments, mosques, and buildings that showcase the region's architectural and spiritual legacy.
In 2021, Turkistan was designated as the "Spiritual Capital of the Turkic World" by theOrganization of Turkic States, a recognition of its central role in the history and culture of Turkic-speaking nations.[2] This title has elevated the city's status as a cultural and religious center, attracting visitors and fostering deeper ties between the Turkic-speaking peoples of Central Asia.[3]
Turkistan is also becoming increasingly recognized as a key tourist destination. In the same year, it was named one of the top ten tourist destinations in Kazakhstan, due to its historical sites, cultural landmarks, and growing infrastructure. The city is served byHazrat Sultan International Airport, which connects it to other regions and countries, making it accessible to international tourists and business travelers.
The modern city name of Turkistan (Kazakh:Түркістан,romanized: Türkıstan,pronounced[tʉrkɘ̆sˈtɑn]) is derived from thePersian phraseHazrat-i-Turkistan[4] (Chagatai andPersian:حضرت ترکستان,meaning"Saint of Turkistan"), which is in reference toAhmad Yasawi, a prominent 11th-century poet andSufi who was associated with and rested in this city.
Prior toAhmad Yasawi's era, and during a significant portion of the medieval to early-modern era, the city was referred to asIasy (Chagatai andPersian:یسی) orShavgar (Chagatai andPersian:شاوغر).
Yasi, one of Kazakhstan's historic cities, has anarchaeological record dating back to the 4th century.[5]
Yasi is one of the oldest small towns in southern Kazakhstan, located near Shymkent on the banks of theSyr Darya River. This area developed as an oasis on the edge of the Kyzylkum Desert and was irrigated through waterways and canals flowing down from the Karatau (Qara-dagh) Mountains. Its geographical position, on the frontier between nomadic groups and settled urban populations of Central Asia, made it a constant focus of attention and rivalry for both famous and obscure conquerors.[6]
Historians have identified Turkistan with the ancient town of Shavgar.[7] In theSogdian language, ghar means “mountain.” Persian and Arab geographers of the 4th/10th century mentioned it in their works.
The earliest layer of the site was a sanctuary, probablyZoroastrian, dating back to the 1st century BC.[8]
Archaeologically, the ancient nucleus of the town is considered to be the “Kultobe” settlement within modern Turkistan. Excavation reports state that the city was known through different periods under the names Shavgar, then Yasi, and finally Turkistan; numismatic evidence and medieval stratigraphy confirm this.[9]
In theDehkhoda Dictionary, references to this town appear as follows: Shavghar was described as a province on the edge of Transoxiana, where there was a sandy desert beyond which “infidels” dwelt, and most of the people of Shavgar werecanvas-weavers. It is also recorded in other Persian lexicons as a province in Transoxiana where the inhabitants were mainlyweavers, adjacent to a sandy desert inhabited by infidels. It was considered among the lands of the Turks. A verse by Abu’l-‘Abbas in Lughat-e Furs by Asadi states:“My day is like midnight from its pain,My night from its memory like Shavgar.”
In later centuries, this city repeatedly changed hands: first under theSamanids, then during the Seljuq era, and in the 6th/12th century it became the scene of battles between the Turks and the Samanids.[10]
The city emerged as a commercial hub following the decline ofOtrar, an ancient city with remnants located southeast near the Syr Darya. Owing to the impact ofAhmad Yasawi, and in honor of his legacy, the city evolved into a significant hub for spiritual growth and Islamic education for the inhabitants of the Kazakh steppes. In the 1390s,Timur, the Turco-Mongol leader and the originator of the Timurid dynasty, constructed an impressive domedmazar ormausoleum over Yasawi's resting place. This structure stands as one of the most notable architectural landmarks in Kazakhstan. Until 2006, its image was featured on the reverse side of the country's banknotes.
The city also boasts other significant historical landmarks such as a medieval bath-house and four mausoleums. One of these is dedicated toRabiya Sultan Begim, Timur's great-granddaughter, while the other three pay tribute toKazakh khans (rulers).
Prior to the 19th-century Russian arrival, Turkistan was positioned at the boundary between the established Perso-Islamicoasis civilization ofTransoxiana to its south and the vast expanse of the Kazakh steppes to its north.
On June 19, 2018,Shymkent was removed from the South Kazakhstan Region and placed directly under the governance of Kazakhstan. Concurrently, Turkistan became the regional administrative hub, and the region was renamed the Turkistan Region.[12]
The city draws thousands of pilgrims. As per local tradition, visiting Turkistan three times is akin to a singlehajj toMecca, a sentiment echoed in other revered sites across theMuslim world. Such high regard for the Saint led to Turkistan being dubbed theSecond Mecca of the East, profoundly influencing the spiritual essence of Kazakhstan's Muslim community.[14]
Turkistan had a population of 165,000 in the 2019 census. The population rose by 10% from 1989 to 1999, making it the second fastest-growing town in Kazakhstan, after the new capitalAstana.
At the same time the ethnic composition of the Chimkentuyezd (Chimkent district) which included the city of Turkistan according to the 1897 census:[16]
In 2021, Keruen-Saray, Central Asia's largest tourism complex, was opened in Turkistan. This unique attraction features merchants, artisans, a flying theater,[clarification needed] an amphitheater for equestrian shows, a bazaar, hotels, restaurants, a spa and fitness center, a cinema, and a family entertainment center.[17]
Turkistan may be reached by train fromAlmaty, in a journey of nearly 20 hours. The road trip from the nearest airport atShymkent takes about two hours.
Turkistan experiences acool semi-arid climate (KöppenBSk) with short, cold winters and long, dry, very hot summers. The vast majority of the annual precipitation falls between late autumn and late spring.
Climate data for Turkistan (1991–2020, extremes 1882–present)
^Bearman, P. J., Bianquis, Th., Bosworth, C. E., van Donzel, E., & Heinrichs, W. P. (Eds.). (2000). The Encyclopaedia of Islam. New Edition (Vol. X: T–U). Leiden: Brill..p680.
^Bearman, P. J.; Bianquis, Th.; Bosworth, C. E.; van Donzel, E.; Heinrichs, W. P. (2000).The Encyclopaedia of Islam, New Edition. Vol. X: T–U. Leiden: Brill. p. 680.
^Bearman, P. J., Bianquis, Th., Bosworth, C. E., van Donzel, E., & Heinrichs, W. P. (Eds.). (2000). The Encyclopaedia of Islam. New Edition (Vol. X: T–U). Leiden: Brill..p.680.
Hill, John E. (2009)Through the Jade Gate to Rome: A Study of the Silk Routes during the Later Han Dynasty, 1st to 2nd Centuries CE. BookSurge, Charleston, South Carolina.ISBN978-1-4392-2134-1.
Hulsewé, A. F. P. and Loewe, M. A. N. 1979.China in Central Asia: The Early Stage 125 BC – AD 23: an annotated translation of chapters 61 and 96 of the History of the Former Han Dynasty. E. J. Brill, Leiden.ISBN90-04-05884-2.
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