Yunus Khan Mausoleum

Yunusxon Mausoleum – an architectural monument in Tashkent (15th century); located in the area of the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan. It is assumed that in 1487, after the death of Tashkent governor Yunusxon, it was built by Yunusxon’s son Ahmadxon (Olachaxon) in the Sheikh Khawandi Toḥur cemetery, and construction continued in later periods. The mausoleum is rectangular (21.2×22 m), with a pyramidal dome, a large room (7×7 m), and double‑storey chambers on both sides. The building’s external dome, the pyramidal base (19th century) were destroyed, its decorations are not preserved, and the building has been repaired several times. The interior of the chamber features carved wooden ornaments and muqarnas. At the end of the 1970s, the ruined parts of the Yunusxon Mausoleum were restored; from 1999 to 2005 the structure was fully repaired.

In 1913, Poshshoxon Toʻraxoʻja and his son Eshontoʻraxoʻja built a minaret on the south side of the mausoleum. Near this minaret, a wooden platform is erected for Russian horsemen who come each year to participate in religious ceremonies. These platforms consist of four units.

Near the Yunusxon Mausoleum there is one madrasa bearing the same name and two mosques were built. The two mosques are named Gʻaribboy and Saidazimboy. These mosques were commissioned by two prominent merchants who named them after themselves. The wood‑related work was later carried out by Saidazim Usmonov from Tashkent, who later led the construction of the “Vatan” cinema.

In 1894, the “Xotin” mosque was built between the mausoleum and the gate. For a period the mosque also served as a chess club and a library. The mosque was destroyed in the mid‑20th century. Some sources state that this mosque was relocated to another site in 1932.

History

Yunusxon seized full control of Tashkent in 1485 and designated it as the capital. Two years later, in Hijri year 892, he died of plague. His son Mahmud commissioned this mausoleum in his father’s honor. On the walls of the mausoleum, there was once an inscription, now faded, that read:

Hazrat Yunuskhon was born in 818 Hijri and died in 892 Hijri. He lived 74 years. The tomb was destroyed in 979 Hijri.

In the poem written during the inscription it is mentioned that it was renovated by Boboxoja in 1584. The same information is also written in the XVI century work “Abdullanoma” by the Hafiz Tanish.

Archaeological observations

As a result of the archaeological research conducted by Masson in 1942, they determined that due to the scarcity of bone remains and finds, people did not live densely here and that, according to the soil layer, the tomb area was a garden. From this they concluded that the tomb was located outside the city fortress. The archaeological investigations carried out by Rtveladze in 1967 also proved this.

Archaeological investigations did not find a burial body or bone remains inside the tomb, i.e., the corpse was not buried here. According to some legends, Yunuskhon's body was taken to Mongolia, but no evidence has been presented for this legend.