A landmark stage of scientific restoration work at the mausoleum of Alkozha Ata (12th-14th centuries) has been completed in Turkistan. Specialists from the Republican State Enterprise 'Kazrestoration' have fully restored the interior chamber of this shrine, sacred to the entire Muslim world. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
For historians and pilgrims, this mausoleum holds immense significance. Alkozha Ata (Abd al-Malik) was not just a righteous man but the beloved disciple and son-in-law of the great Sufi Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. He was married to Yasawi's daughter Gaukhar.
According to legends, Alkozha Ata was a direct descendant of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, the closest companion and first righteous caliph of the Prophet Muhammad.
By marrying the daughter of Ahmed Yasawi, he became related to the dynasty of the great sheikh, whose lineage in turn traced back to the fourth caliph, Ali ibn Abi Talib (the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad).
Among the people, Alkozha Ata was revered as a great healer. The monument of republican significance is located just 2.5 km from the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi and is a mandatory point on pilgrimage routes.
To preserve the original spirit and medieval architecture, the restorers approached the object with maximum precision.
The interior chamber of the tomb (gurkhana) was completely recreated, and the walls of the ziaratkhana (prayer hall) were carefully cleaned and painted. The large dome and external wooden columns were also restored. The flooring was completely replaced using special antique-style bricks made according to centuries-old technologies.
Work on the site continues. The craftsmen face an equally painstaking stage ahead, which will allow the monument to fully regain its original majestic appearance.
'In the next stage, restoration of the supporting columns, facades, brickwork, and preserved ancient decorative paintings is planned. The dome and external surfaces of the monument will undergo special chemical treatment, and individual sections of the aiwan (terrace) will be restored, along with landscaping of the adjacent area,' the specialists reported.
All work is carried out strictly in accordance with international standards for the preservation of world heritage monuments.