Mausoleum of Ibn Zeyd

Mausoleum of Ibn Zeyd

This complex consists of a mausoleum, a restored sardoba (cistern), a ruined residential complex, and a small house for pilgrims with an open platform for food preparation. Nearby is a large hill of a destroyed keshk - the earliest part of the ensemble - and a cemetery, on the territory of which there were once Seljuk pottery workshops. The mausoleum of Muhammad ibn-Zayd was built by the order of Sharaf al-Din Abu Tahir, the ruler of Merv, in the early 12th century. The mausoleum is considered one of the finest examples of Islamic sacred architecture in the Merv Oasis. It consists of three main elements - the mausoleum itself, the prayer hall or mosque, and the second mausoleum or reception area. The mausoleum is the earliest part of the structure, restored in the mid-20th century. Out of the three domes rising above the walls of the mausoleum, two low domes are located above the prayer hall, and a tall dome is positioned above the mausoleum. The southern, eastern, and western walls are undecorated, except for buttresses. The northern wall is divided into six sections with preserved arched outlines. Inside, there is a circular inscription in Kufic script (ornamental Arabic writing) stating that the mausoleum was built in honor of Muhammad ibn-Zayd in 1112. In the center of the room, there is a rectangular tomb made of black marble, beautifully adorned with inscriptions and floral ornaments. The tomb dates back to the 15th century. The round cistern, or sardoba, was built during the Seljuk period and served as a water source for the mausoleum. During the Timurid rule, it was restored. Water flowed into the cistern from one of the adjacent channels, and one can descend to the water through a staircase. The dome and the entrance iwan were reconstructed in 1995.