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Tyurabek-khanym was a real historic figure, a Mongolian princess, the favorite daughter of the governor of Golden Horde - Uzbek-khan and the spouse of his deputy in Khoresm Kutlug Timur . Tyurabek - khanym was the patroness of women. Eventually she was canonized and declared a saint . The n ame of Tyurabek-khanym was always surrunded by numerous romantic legends. According to one of them Tyurabek-khanym promised to master Gulgardan , who was in love with her, to marry him if he constructed her a building the finest on the earth. Gulgardan worked hard : the mausoleum he built, which later become a tomb of Sufi kings and her own, was flabbergasting; it still amazes with its accuracy of lines, wealth of interior decorations and beauty of multi-color ornaments. But the proud beauty did not fulfill her promise and preferred the governor of Khoresm Kutlug Timur . The deceived master could not cope with his dissapointment and threw himself from the top of the mausoleum.
The Mausoleum of Tyurabek-khanym indeed became the most magnificent structure in the entire country. Amazing in its beauty and grace , it is the structure with the richest interior and exterior finish , with surprisingly open and light hexagonal hall with the area of about a hundred square meters, decorated with carved mosaic. It was c rowned with a huge dome. It was, probably the most perfect dome in the entire Central Asian Turan . The dome is tied on the top according to the tradition of that time.
The inner part of the dome is covered by a fine mosaic panel with the ornament consisting of stars and flowers. The panel is a masterpiece of Oriental art which is equal to none in all medieval architecture. Long time ago a bove the building on a high drum with twelve apertures there was a dark blue glazed tabernacle . Unfortunately, it cannot be seen now : the structure was heavily damaged. But the tomb of Tyurabek-khanym has always been the center of mass pilgrimage.
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