Turkistan (city)

{{Infobox settlement

| official_name = Turkistan

| native_name = {{nativename|kk|Түркістан / Türkıstan}}

| image_skyline = Туркестан.jpg

| imagesize = 300px

| image_caption = Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi

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| pushpin_map = Kazakhstan

| pushpin_label_position = bottom

| pushpin_mapsize = 280

| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Kazakhstan

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_type1 = Region

| subdivision_name = {{KAZ}}

| subdivision_name1 = Turkistan Region

| established_title =

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| government_type =

| leader_title = Akim (mayor)

| leader_name = Azimbek Pazylbekuly{{Cite web|title=Азимбек Пазылбекулы назначен новым акимом Туркестана|url=https://www.inform.kz/ru/azimbek-pazilbekuli-naznachen-novim-akimom-turkestana-af3df6|access-date=2024-10-01|website=inform.kz|date=2024-10-01|language=ru}}

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| population_as_of = 2023

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| population_total = 300,000

| population_urban = 250,000

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| coordinates = {{coord|43|18|07|N|68|16|09|E|region:KZ|display=inline,title}}

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Turkistan ({{langx|kk|Түркістан|Türkıstan}} {{IPA|kk|tʉrkɘ̆sˈtɑn|}}; {{langx|ru|Туркестан|Turkestan}}) is a historic city and the administrative center of the Turkistan Region in southern Kazakhstan, located near the Syr Darya River. Positioned 160 km (100 miles) northwest of Shymkent, it lies along the Trans-Aral Railway, which connects Kyzylorda to the north and Tashkent to the south.

Turkistan holds historical and cultural significance of Kazakhstan, particularly due to the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This mausoleum is a key symbol of the city, drawing pilgrims and tourists alike. Khoja Ahmed Yasawi was a prominent Sufi mystic and philosopher, and his tomb is a revered site for followers of Islam in Central Asia. The city's rich cultural heritage is further reflected in its many historical monuments, mosques, and buildings that showcase the region's architectural and spiritual legacy.

In 2021, Turkistan was designated as the "Spiritual Capital of the Turkic World" by the Organization of Turkic States, a recognition of its central role in the history and culture of Turkic-speaking nations.{{Cite web |title=Turkistan Declaration of the Informal Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States |url=https://www.turkkon.org/en/haberler/turkistan-declaration-of-the-informal-summit-of-the-cooperation-council-of-turkic-speaking-states_2220 |publisher=Turkic Council}} This title has elevated the city's status as a cultural and religious center, attracting visitors and fostering deeper ties between the Turkic-speaking peoples of Central Asia.{{Cite web |date=16 June 2021 |title=Kazakhstan Selects Top 10 Tourist Destinations |url=https://astanatimes.com/2021/06/kazakhstan-selects-top-10-tourist-destinations/ |access-date=2021-09-27 |website=The Astana Times |language=en}}

Turkistan is also becoming increasingly recognized as a key tourist destination. In the same year, it was named one of the top ten tourist destinations in Kazakhstan, due to its historical sites, cultural landmarks, and growing infrastructure. The city is served by Hazrat Sultan International Airport, which connects it to other regions and countries, making it accessible to international tourists and business travelers.

Etymology

The modern city name of Turkistan ({{langx|kk|Түркістан|Türkıstan}}, {{IPA|kk|tʉrkɘ̆sˈtɑn|pron}}) is derived from the Turco-Persian phrase Hazrat-i-Turkistan{{cite web|url=http://www.britannica.com/biography/Ahmed-Yesevi |title=Encyclopædia Britannica (2007): Related Articles to "Ahmed Yesevi, or Ahmad Yasawi, or Ahmed Yasavi (Turkish author)", accessed March 18, 2007 |publisher=Britannica.com |access-date=2013-04-09}} (Chagatai and {{langx|fa|حضرت ترکستان}}, {{small|meaning "Saint of Turkistan"}}), which is in reference to Ahmad Yasawi, a prominent 11th-century poet and Sufi who was associated with and rested in this city.

Prior to Ahmad Yasawi's era, and during a significant portion of the medieval to early-modern era, the city was referred to as Iasy (Chagatai and {{langx|fa|یسی}}) or Shavgar (Chagatai and {{langx|fa|شاوغر}}).

History

Turkistan, one of Kazakhstan's historic cities, has an archaeological record dating back to the 4th century.{{cite web |url=http://www.natcom.unesco.kz/turkestan/e08_arch_monuments.htm|title=Archeological monuments of Turkistan|publisher=Natcom.unesco.kz |access-date=2012-04-22}}

The city emerged as a commercial hub following the decline of Otrar, an ancient city with remnants located southeast near the Syr Darya. Owing to the impact of Ahmad Yasawi, and in honor of his legacy, the city evolved into a significant hub for spiritual growth and Islamic education for the inhabitants of the Kazakh steppes. In the 1390s, Timur, the Turco-Mongol leader and the originator of the Timurid dynasty, constructed an impressive domed mazar or mausoleum over Yasawi's resting place. This structure stands as one of the most notable architectural landmarks in Kazakhstan. Until 2006, its image was featured on the reverse side of the country's banknotes.

The city also boasts other significant historical landmarks such as a medieval bath-house and four mausoleums. One of these is dedicated to Rabiya Sultan Begim, Timur's great-granddaughter, while the other three pay tribute to Kazakh khans (rulers).

Prior to the 19th-century Russian arrival, Turkistan was positioned at the boundary between the established Perso-Islamic oasis civilization of Transoxiana to its south and the vast expanse of the Kazakh steppes to its north.

Between the 16th and 18th centuries, Turkistan rose to prominence as the capital of the Kazakh Khanate,[http://www.unesco.kz/natcom/turkestan/r07_turkest_cap.htm Туркестан — столица Казахского ханства] becoming the political epicenter of the Kazakh steppe. However, as the Russian Empire expanded its conquests and weakened the Kazakh Khanate, smaller southern states were overtaken. By 1864, Russian General Veryovkin had captured Turkistan for the Kokand Khanate. Subsequently, under Russian rule, it became a part of the Syr-Darya Oblast in the Governor-Generalship of Russian Turkistan. Following the collapse of the Tsarist regime between 1917-18, it briefly joined the Turkistan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. By 1924, it became a part of the Kazakh ASSR within Soviet Russia.

On June 19, 2018, Shymkent was removed from the South Kazakhstan Region and placed directly under the governance of Kazakhstan. Concurrently, Turkistan became the regional administrative hub, and the region was renamed the Turkistan Region.{{cite web |date=19 June 2018 |title=Публичное подписание Указа "О некоторых вопросах административно-территориального устройства Республики Казахстан" |url=http://www.akorda.kz/ru/events/akorda_news/akorda_other_events/publichnoe-podpisanie-ukaza-o-nekotoryh-voprosah-administrativno-territorialnogo-ustroistva-respubliki-kazahstan |access-date=21 June 2018 |publisher=President of Kazakhstan |language=ru}}

In 2021, it was announced that the first 5G city will be set up in Turkistan. This project will be sponsored by Kcell and Ericsson.{{Cite web|title=First Fully 5G City in Kazakhstan to Be Founded in Turkistan|url=https://astanatimes.com/2021/12/firsts-fully-5g-city-in-kazakhstan-to-be-founded-in-turkistan/|access-date=2021-12-13|website=The Astana Times|date=13 December 2021 |language=en}}{{what|Shouldn't this say of "of Kazakhstan"? I'm quite certain it wasn't there first one anywhere|date=March 2023}}

=Pilgrimage=

File:Landsat turkestan.jpg

The city draws thousands of pilgrims. As per local tradition, visiting Turkistan three times is akin to a single hajj to Mecca, a sentiment echoed in other revered sites across the Muslim world. Such high regard for the Saint led to Turkistan being dubbed the Second Mecca of the East, profoundly influencing the spiritual essence of Kazakhstan's Muslim community.Privatsky (2001)

Demographics

Turkistan had a population of 165,000 in the 2019 census. The population rose by 10% from 1989 to 1999, making it the second fastest-growing town in Kazakhstan, after the new capital Astana.

The ethnic composition of the city:

Kazakhs – 52.5%
Uzbeks – 45.2%
Other ethnic groups – 2.3%

The ethnic composition of the city according to the 1897 census:[http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/emp_lan_97_uezd.php?reg=894 Демоскоп Weekly — Приложение. Справочник статистических показателей]

total – 11,253
Uzbeks – 8,940 (79.4%)
Kazakhs – 1,415 (12.5%)
Tatars – 506 (4.4%)
Russians – 312 (2.7%)

At the same time the ethnic composition of the Chimkent uyezd (Chimkent district) which included the city of Turkistan according to the 1897 census:[http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/emp_lan_97_uezd.php?reg=892 Демоскоп Weekly — Приложение. Справочник статистических показателей]

total – 285,059
Kazakhs – 224,704 (78.8%)
Sart (non-nomadic Iranic, Turkic, or Mongolic people)– 32 043 (11.2%)
Uzbeks – 20,709 (7.2%)
Russians – 6 443 (2.2%)
Tatars – 646 (0.2%)

Tourism

In 2021, Keruen-Saray, Central Asia’s largest tourism complex, was opened in Turkistan. This unique attraction features merchants, artisans, a flying theater,{{what|merits expansion|date=March 2023}} an amphitheater for equestrian shows, a bazaar, hotels, restaurants, a spa and fitness center, a cinema, and a family entertainment center. {{Cite web|title=Turkistan Opens Keruen-Saray - Central Asia's Largest Tourist Complex |url=https://astanatimes.com/2021/04/turkistan-opens-keruen-saray-central-asias-largest-tourist-complex/|access-date=2021-09-28|website=The Astana Times|date=12 April 2021 |language=en}}

Transport

The city transport in Turkistan consists of buses and taxis.

Turkistan is served by Hazrat Sultan International Airport. It is located {{cvt|15|km}} NE from the centre of city.

Geography and climate

Turkistan may be reached by train from Almaty, in a journey of nearly 20 hours. The road trip from the nearest airport at Shymkent takes about two hours.

Turkistan experiences a cool semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) with short, cold winters and long, dry, very hot summers. The vast majority of the annual precipitation falls between late autumn and late spring.

{{Weather box

|width=auto

|location=Turkistan (1991–2020, extremes 1882–present)

|metric first=yes

|single line=yes

|Jan record high C=18.7

|Feb record high C=26.4

|Mar record high C=30.7

|Apr record high C=36.3

|May record high C=40.5

|Jun record high C=46.9

|Jul record high C=47.9

|Aug record high C=46.5

|Sep record high C=41.9

|Oct record high C=35.3

|Nov record high C=27.9

|Dec record high C=21.6

|year record high C=47.9

| Jan high C =1.8

| Feb high C =5.4

| Mar high C =14.2

| Apr high C =22.2

| May high C =28.9

| Jun high C =34.6

| Jul high C =36.4

| Aug high C =35.2

| Sep high C =28.9

| Oct high C =20.8

| Nov high C =10.5

| Dec high C = 3.2

| year high C =20.2

| Jan low C =-7.0

| Feb low C =-4.7

| Mar low C =1.6

| Apr low C =8.6

| May low C =14.3

| Jun low C =18.8

| Jul low C =20.4

| Aug low C =18.8

| Sep low C =12.2

| Oct low C =5.1

| Nov low C =-1.0

| Dec low C =-5.7

| year low C =6.8

| Jan mean C =-2.9

| Feb mean C =-0.1

| Mar mean C =7.4

| Apr mean C =15.3

| May mean C =21.8

| Jun mean C =27.2

| Jul mean C =29.0

| Aug mean C =27.3

| Sep mean C =20.7

| Oct mean C =12.5

| Nov mean C =4.2

| Dec mean C =-1.7

| year mean C =13.4

|Jan record low C=-33.6

|Feb record low C=-38.6

|Mar record low C=-25.0

|Apr record low C=-8.4

|May record low C=-2.8

|Jun record low C=3.2

|Jul record low C=6.4

|Aug record low C=3.4

|Sep record low C=-5.5

|Oct record low C=-14.3

|Nov record low C=-31.8

|Dec record low C=-33.0

|year record low C=-38.6

|precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation mm =25

| Feb precipitation mm =26

| Mar precipitation mm =31

| Apr precipitation mm =23

| May precipitation mm =21

| Jun precipitation mm =8

| Jul precipitation mm =4

| Aug precipitation mm =2

| Sep precipitation mm =2

| Oct precipitation mm =12

| Nov precipitation mm =26

| Dec precipitation mm =26

| year precipitation mm = 207

| unit precipitation days = 1 mm

| Jan precipitation days =5.4

| Feb precipitation days =5.4

| Mar precipitation days =4.5

| Apr precipitation days =4.3

| May precipitation days =3.4

| Jun precipitation days =1.6

| Jul precipitation days =0.5

| Aug precipitation days =0.4

| Sep precipitation days =0.5

| Oct precipitation days =2.4

| Nov precipitation days =4.6

| Dec precipitation days =4.9

| year precipitation days =37.9

|Jan snow depth cm=4

|Feb snow depth cm=2

|Mar snow depth cm=0

|Apr snow depth cm=0

|May snow depth cm=0

|Jun snow depth cm=0

|Jul snow depth cm=0

|Aug snow depth cm=0

|Sep snow depth cm=0

|Oct snow depth cm=0

|Nov snow depth cm=0

|Dec snow depth cm=2

|year snow depth cm=4

|Jan rain days=5

|Feb rain days=6

|Mar rain days=8

|Apr rain days=8

|May rain days=7

|Jun rain days=4

|Jul rain days=2

|Aug rain days=1

|Sep rain days=2

|Oct rain days=4

|Nov rain days=7

|Dec rain days=6

|year rain days=60

|Jan snow days=7

|Feb snow days=6

|Mar snow days=2

|Apr snow days=0.3

|May snow days=0

|Jun snow days=0

|Jul snow days=0

|Aug snow days=0

|Sep snow days=0

|Oct snow days=0.3

|Nov snow days=2

|Dec snow days=5

|year snow days=23

|Jan humidity=79

|Feb humidity=73

|Mar humidity=63

|Apr humidity=50

|May humidity=43

|Jun humidity=33

|Jul humidity=34

|Aug humidity=32

|Sep humidity=36

|Oct humidity=51

|Nov humidity=69

|Dec humidity=79

|year humidity=54

|Jan sun=138

|Feb sun=155

|Mar sun=199

|Apr sun=247

|May sun=337

|Jun sun=382

|Jul sun=401

|Aug sun=383

|Sep sun=315

|Oct sun=248

|Nov sun=167

|Dec sun=122

|year sun=3094

|Jand sun = 4.5

|Febd sun = 5.5

|Mard sun = 6.4

|Aprd sun = 8.2

|Mayd sun = 10.9

|Jund sun = 12.7

|Juld sun = 12.9

|Augd sun = 12.4

|Sepd sun = 10.5

|Octd sun = 8.0

|Novd sun = 5.6

|Decd sun = 3.9

|yeard sun = 8.5

|source 2= NOAA (sun 1961-1990),{{cite web

| url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-2-WMO-Normals-9120/Kazakhstan/CSV/Turkestan_38198.csv

| title = Turkestan Climate Normals 1991–2020

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = April 13, 2024

}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/normals/WMO/1961-1990/TABLES/REG_II/KS/38198.TXT |title=Turkestan Climate Normals 1961-1990 |publisher=National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date=25 November 2016}} Deutscher Wetterdienst (daily sun 1961-1990)

{{cite web

| url = http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_381980_kt.pdf

| title = Klimatafel von Turkestan / Kasachstan

| publisher = Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure

| access-date = September 17, 2016}}

|source 1=Pogodaiklimat{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161125145503/http://www.pogodaiklimat.ru/climate/38198.htm |archive-date=25 November 2016 |url=http://www.pogodaiklimat.ru/climate/38198.htm |title=Weather and Climate - The Climate of Turkestan (Turkistan) |access-date=5 January 2022 |publisher=Weather and Climate (Погода и климат) |language=ru}}

}}

Twin towns – sister cities

{{flagicon|TUR}} Afyonkarahisar, Turkey{{cite web |title=Kardeş Şehir Hamm|url=https://www.afyon.bel.tr/icerikdetay/269/319/kardes-sehir-hamm.aspx|publisher=Afyonkarahisar|language=tr|access-date=2022-08-28}}
{{flagicon|TUR}} Keçiören, Turkey{{cite web |title=Kardeş Belediyeler|url=https://www.kecioren.bel.tr/kardes_belediyeler.html?page=2|publisher=Keçiören|language=tr|access-date=2022-08-28}}
{{flagicon|AZE}} Shusha, Azerbaijan{{cite news |title=Токаев и Алиев подписали декларацию об «укреплении стратегических отношений» между Казахстаном и Азербайджаном|newspaper=Радио Азаттык |url=https://rus.azattyq.org/a/32002556.html/|publisher=Azattyq Radiosy|language=ru|date=2022-08-24|access-date=2022-08-28}}

Footnotes

References

Hill, John E. (2009) Through the Jade Gate to Rome: A Study of the Silk Routes during the Later Han Dynasty, 1st to 2nd Centuries CE. BookSurge, Charleston, South Carolina. {{ISBN|978-1-4392-2134-1}}.
Hulsewé, A. F. P. and Loewe, M. A. N. 1979. China in Central Asia: The Early Stage 125 BC – AD 23: an annotated translation of chapters 61 and 96 of the History of the Former Han Dynasty. E. J. Brill, Leiden. {{ISBN|90-04-05884-2}}.
{{cite EB9 |wstitle = Turkestan |volume= 23 |pages = 631–640 |last= Kropotkin |first= Peter Alexeivitch |author-link= Peter Kropotkin|short= 1}}
Privratsky, Bruce G. (2001). Muslim Turkistan: Kazak Religion and Collective Memory Curzon Press, Richmond, Surrey UK.