Turabek Khanum Mausoleum

The building’s roof was covered with tiles, a rare feature for constructions of that era. The interior design of the mausoleum is based on a hexagonal prism, with deep arched niches set into its sides, each containing windows. These niches are mirrored on the exterior as well. The southern side of the mausoleum is marked by a grand portal.

Turabek-Khanum, the princess for whom this mausoleum was built, was the beloved daughter of Uzbek Khan, the ruler of the Golden Horde. She became the wife of Kutlug-Timur when he served as the governor of Khwarezm. Turabek-Khanum was known for her beauty and kindness, and though she died young, the people of Khwarezm revered her as a saint, a sentiment reflected in the design of her mausoleum.

According to legend, Turabek-Khanum promised to marry the master builder, Gulgardan, who was in love with her, if he could construct the most beautiful building in the world. The people marveled at the precision of the lines, the richness of the interior decoration, and the beauty of the multi-colored patterns in Gulgardan’s creation, which eventually became the burial site for the princess and other royalty. However, Turabek-Khanum’s heart belonged to another, and she married Kutlug-Timur. Overcome with despair, the heartbroken architect threw himself from the top of the mausoleum.

The fact that the mausoleum was built during the era of architectural brilliance under the reign of Kutlug-Timur is supported by the historical account of the famous traveler Ibn Battuta, who described Urgench and specifically mentioned structures dedicated to Turabek-Khanum and Nadzhim al-Din Kubra. Both of these buildings captivated the traveler, who noted them alongside the grand mosque and madrasah in his writings.

Based on Ibn Battuta’s records, the construction of the mausoleum is now dated to the 1330s, during the 14th century.