Kazakhstan: Taraz – Aisha Bibi Mausoleum
The 11th century Aisha Bibi Mausoleum lies on the outskirts of Taraz, about 10km on a straight road west of the city center and the other two mausoleums there. There is a famous Kazakh legend surrounding the mausoleum – interred inside lies Aisha, a medieval princess with distinguished lineage (supposedly to The Prophet), who fell in love with the ruler of Taraz – Shakhmakhmud. But Aisha’s father didn’t approve of the union, and Aisha ran away from home, but on the way to Taraz was bitten by a snake and died. Devastated Shakhmakhmud built her a mausoleum at the spot where she was bitten, he never married afterwords and became a great ruler. The Mausoleum itself is very beautiful and very ornate with terracotta carving of insane detail covering both exterior and interior. The external decoration is truly stunning: every spare piece of the walls is covered with carved terracotta in a wide range of geometric Islamic designs. In fact, it is the only monument in the entire Central Asia fully covered with carved terracotta tilework.
