During the reign of the Timurids, the architecture of Uzbekistan acquired new features. Everything was built brightly and soundly. Each new attraction: a complex, madrasah or mausoleum - was supposed to surpass the previous ones in size and brightness. One example of such construction is the Yunus Khan mausoleum, located in Tashkent. The time of its construction is the 19th century.
It was built in a style very unusual for the architecture of that time, representing a khanaka. In the usual understanding, a khanaka is something like a small hotel with a mosque, and sometimes a library. But usually this is a modest building, while the mausoleum of Yunus Khan is a two-story complex.
Yunus Khan, a descendant of Genghis Khan, was known for his erudition, manners and creativity. He was the ruler of the Fergana Valley, but during his reign he was able to diplomatically expand his possessions to Tashkent. After his death, his sons organized the construction of a mausoleum.
From the threshold you are impressed by its scale and design. Take the example of the colonnade that adorns the façade. It is a skillfully built arched row of columns, towering above the entrance. The T-shape clearly shows Iranian motifs, but the structure is more complex. The central hall has a cruciform shape, ending with an octagonal niche. Two rows of hujras are crowned with small domes. The roof of the hall is made in the form of a large dome on a circular base. The inside of the dome is decorated with an elegant ornament of intertwining arches, inside of which Arabic patterns permeate the entire space with endless threads. There are three separate entrances to the mausoleum.
The mausoleum has undergone several restorations. The first began a hundred years after construction, when part of the mausoleum collapsed due to an earthquake. Not everything was restored then; part of the dome remained destroyed. The landmark was completely restored in 1970, but since no drawings were found, it was recreated based on information from historians and architects familiar with architecture of this type.
The door at the entrance was replaced with another one. There is a legend that the old door was musical; when opening and closing, the sound of an ancient chang instrument was heard. Even more mysterious is that the remains of the ruler have not yet been found within the walls of the Yunus Khan mausoleum, although such complexes are certainly built at the burial site. Today, the area around the mausoleum is occupied by the Islamic University, and the building itself is part of the Sheikhantaur complex.
When visiting this place during a tour from Canaan Travel, university students and teachers will be happy to tell you many interesting stories about the mausoleum.