Ilham Aliyev and other participants of OTS informal summit tour cultural sites in Turkistan

On May 15, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, alongside other presidents attending the Informal Summit of the Heads of State of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), toured the “Azret Sultan” State Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve in the city of Turkistan.

The heads of state were briefed on the reserve, which was established in 1989. The museum’s "Hall of Rare Artefacts" is one of Kazakhstan’s most significant exhibition projects, aimed at preserving and promoting the unique historical and cultural heritage of the Middle Ages. The collection features over 26,000 items, 80% of which are authentic artifacts, showcasing the rich history of Turkistan, the spiritual legacy of the Turkic world, and rare artifacts related to the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi.

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The leaders then visited the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, one of Central Asia’s largest monuments of Islamic architecture and a spiritual symbol of Kazakhstan. Built at the end of the 14th century by order of Amir Timur at the burial site of the prominent Sufi poet and thinker Ahmed Yasawi, the complex features a unified architectural design with more than 35 rooms serving various purposes. It is considered a major spiritual and cultural center for the Islamic world.