Historical monuments of Samarkand

Ishratkhana: Legend of the Mausoleum

In the south-eastern part of Samarkand there is one of the most mysterious monuments of Islamic architecture, the mausoleum Ishrathana. No consensus regarding the purpose of the building exists. Some guess that it was a burial place for of women of aristocratic origin. The building never renovated, but even its ruins impress with their harmony.

A legend explains why the mausoleum was abandoned: Tamerlan’s grandson Ulugbek defined that in accordance with horoscope, his grandfather Amir Temurer would have a risk during the feast in Ishratkhana.He rushed into the hall with a sword and forces the participants of the feast to run away. When the last emir left the room, there be heard underground buzz, and the devastating earthquake brought down the arches Ishrathany directly to the place where Tamerlan and his suite were lying a moment ago. The building never repaired again.


Mausoleum of Khoja Abdi Darunee: history, description

The memorial ensemble “Khoja Abdi Darunee” appeared in the XII century near the mausoleum of Khoja Abdi, or Abd-al Mazeddina. According to legend, Sheikh Abdi-Darunee arrived in Samarkand from the Arabian Peninsula in the IX century, and as an expert on the Koran and Sharia, started performing judge functions here. The Supplement "Darunee" means "internal" – his tomb is located inside the city walls of Samarkand.

The mausoleum Abdi-Darunee was constructed in the XII century and in the XV century it was reconstructed. The restoration of the mausoleum had changed the building entirely in comparison with how it looked in the past. Now it is a small square building with a pyramidal dome. The interior of the mausoleum is modest, no paintings in gold and ceramics inside. Almost the whole area is occupied by a large gravestone. In the XV century there was ziarathana (a space for the rite of worship - ziarat) near the mausoleum. At the mausoleum, there is a big pond ("khauz") around which the ancient plane trees grow. As before, pilgrims come to the sheikh’s tomb. People come here to pray, talk about their problems and ask for assistance in their solution.