Turkestan
In 1969, a document was found it was a small letter on the Sogdian language dated 639. The letter deals with the sale into slavery of a girl from Samarkand, and for the first time the ancient city of Turkestan is mentioned. In the 13th century, the pages of the Scandinavian Saga about Ynglings speaks of the land of Turkland, which is located closer to the east of Asgard, the heavenly city.
The first settlements on the site of modern Turkestan appeared in 500 AD. Later, a city Yasy was formed there, it existed until the 13th century. Due to its convenient geographical location, Yasy was among the cities through which the Great Silk Road passed, this contributed to the flourishing of the city in the 12th century, and Yasy became the commercial capital of the region. After a while, the city gained religious significance for the Muslim world on a par with Mecca. However, heavenly life did not last long.
In the 13th century, the lands of present Kazakhstan were captured by the ruthless horde of Genghis Khan. The city of Yasy drowned in the blood of its inhabitants and suffered numerous destruction. After many years, the restored city, already renowned as Turkestan, was the capital of the Kazakh Khanate and acted as a residence for the rulers of Central Asia until the 19th century.
In the 20th century, Turkestan was part of the USSR. Even during the Soviet era, large industrial enterprises, factories, processing plants and educational institutions were built in the city, which are still popular and respected thanks to a wide range of scientific works and the quality of teaching.
December 1, 2016 Turkestan was awarded the status of the Capital of the Turkic world. Today it is one of the main centers of pilgrimage for Muslims. In Turkestan there are a large number of ancient monuments of architecture, many of them are of sacred to the Muslim world. For example, the mausoleum of the Sufi, philosopher and poet Khoja Ahmed Yassavi, built by the order of the great Tamerlane (Amir Timur), attracts both religious people and travellers.
There are many museums in Turkestan. For example, in the local history museum of Turkestan it will be very interesting to learn how the city was founded and see the collection of archaeological finds. Also worth visiting the 15th century mausoleum of Rabia Sultan Begim, “the Street of Turkestan” Museum and the Museum of the Oriental bath.
One of the historical monuments of the past in Turkestan is the railway station, dated 1905. Well, for those who appreciate real natural beauty, we advise you to go to the Karatau National Park, which is located in the central part of Karatau Mountain. It is the area where 15 species of rare birds and animals live; they are all in the Red List of Threatened Species.