Turkistan, one of Kazakhstan's historic cities, has an
archaeological record dating back to the 4th century. The city emerged as a commercial hub following the decline of
Otrar, an ancient city with remnants located southeast near the Syr Darya. Owing to the impact of
Ahmad 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 domed
mazar or
mausoleum 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 to
Rabiya Sultan Begim, Timur's great-granddaughter, while the other three pay tribute to
Kazakh khans (rulers). Prior to the 19th-century Russian arrival, Turkistan was positioned at the boundary between the established Perso-Islamic
oasis civilization of
Transoxiana to its south and the vast expanse of the Kazakh steppes to its north. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, Turkistan rose to prominence as the capital of the
Kazakh Khanate, becoming the political epicenter of the
Kazakh steppe. However, as the
Russian Empire expanded its conquests and weakened the
Kazakh Khanate, smaller southern states were overtaken. By 1864, Russian General Veryovkin had captured Turkistan for the
Kokand Khanate. Subsequently, under Russian rule, it became a part of the
Syr-Darya Oblast in the
Governor-Generalship of Russian Turkistan. Following the collapse of the
Tsarist regime between 1917-18, it briefly joined the
Turkistan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. By 1924, it became a part of the
Kazakh ASSR within
Soviet Russia. 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. In 2021, it was announced that the first
5G city will be set up in Turkistan. This project will be sponsored by
Kcell and
Ericsson.
Pilgrimage The city draws thousands of pilgrims. As per local tradition, visiting Turkistan three times is akin to a single
hajj to
Mecca, a sentiment echoed in other revered sites across the
Muslim world. Such high regard for the Saint led to Turkistan being dubbed the
Second Mecca of the East, profoundly influencing the spiritual essence of Kazakhstan's Muslim community. ==Demographics==