Sunday 12 June 2016

Kunya-Urgench

This archaeological site, that was located in the Silk Road, comprises mosques, the gates of a caravanserai, fortresses, mausoleums and a minaret.

Minaret of Kutlug Timur and Mausoleum of Sultan Tekesh
This postcard was sent by Claus

Kutlug-Timur Minaret: This minaret is perhaps one of the most striking structures which remains standing at the site. It dates back to the 11th and 12th centuries, and it measures 60 meters in height, making it the highest monument in the park. Additionally, its diameter measures 12 meters at the base, and 2 at the top.

On the basis of its decorative brickwork, including Kufic inscriptions, the minaret is thought to be an earlier construction, only restored by Kutlug-Timur around 1330.

Tekesh Mausoleum: This structure is the presumed Tomb of Sultan Ala al-din Tekesh, the founder of the Khwarezm Empire and its ruler between 1172-1200. It has been identified as a mausoleum due to the tradition that each ancient Central Asian building is dedicated to a historical or mythical personage.

The building is made of bricks and consists of a square hall with walls which are 11,45 meters high, a massive round drum and a conical roof with an inner dome hidden under it. The dome is connected to the square walls it rests upon by an octagonal belt. The structure between the dome and the octagon is decorated with 16 shallow niches. - in: wikipedia


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