The broad façade
Twin minarets.
Салиха at Kazakh Wikipedia — CC0 · Дмитрий Кошелев — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Дмитрий Кошелев — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Дмитрий Кошелев — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Дмитрий Кошелев — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Дмитрий Кошелев — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Vyacheslav Kirillin — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Vyacheslav Kirillin — CC BY-SA 4.0
The mausoleum of Arystan Bab, also written Arslan Baba, whom popular tradition holds to be the first teacher of the Sufi sheikh Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. It stands near the ruins of Otrar, about 50 km south of Turkistan, and by old local custom pilgrims visit it before the Yasawi mausoleum. A folk tale says Timur tried in vain to build a mosque by Yasawi's grave until he was told in a dream to build a tomb over Arystan Bab's grave first. The mausoleum dates from the 14th century over a 12th-century grave and was rebuilt several times up to the 18th century. Most of today's building dates from the first decade of the 20th century; only two carved wooden columns survive from the older one. It has a broad façade with a great central arch, minarets at either end and two domes beside it. Inside are the tombs of Arystan Bab and three of his students, a mosque rebuilt in 1971 and a small museum. Entry is about 200 tenge, per visitor guides. It is a shrine, so keep quiet and dress modestly; it is usually combined with the nearby ruins of Otrar on one trip from Turkistan.
Twin minarets.
From the old building.
To the tomb.
Near Otrartobe village, about 50 km south of Turkistan
Tradition holds him to be Yasawi's first teacher, and by old local custom his tomb is visited before his student's in Turkistan.