Turkestan is an ancient city located along the Great Silk Road, which became the political and spiritual capital of the Kazakh Khanate. This strategically important city consisted of three main parts typical of medieval cities: the Citadel, Shaharstan and Rabat. Parts of the Citadel and Shaharstan cities are surrounded by a castle mound. Information about these buildings is specified in written data and historical maps from different periods.

Archaeological investigations conducted in Turkestan have revealed and restored the location of the castle’s gate system and towers. According to the research of archaeologists E. Smagulov and M. Tuyakbaev, the Kurgan-castle of Turkestan Shaharstan passed through three historical periods:

The first period was the city of Yasy-Kultobe (III century BC). During this period, the area of the city was about 10 hectares. Shaharstan Castle at that time surrounded an area of 2 hectares. Archaeologists estimate this period as the epoch of the early formation of Turkestan.

The second period — XIV-XVIII centuries

During this period, the city’s territory expanded and reached 36 hectares. There are three to six gates to the northwest and southeast of Shaharstan Castle. This time was marked by the construction of the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi and the transformation of Turkestan into the political and spiritual center of the Kazakh Khanate.

The third period — XVIII-XIX centuries

During this period, the length of the castle increased to 3.5 kilometers, and the area of the city was more than 80 hectares. The kurgan castle is surrounded by a moat filled with water from the outside. The trench was 6-7 meters deep and up to 10 meters wide. The water in these ditches was drawn through the ditches of Tastak, Baulik and Darbaza, fulfilling the task of protecting the city from an external enemy.

The last Shaharstan castle was built in the first half of the 19th century. Currently, in order to preserve the historical and cultural panorama around the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, only the foundation of the castle has been restored.

Agadil Tursinov, Junior Researcher.