Said-Allauddin: the oldest tomb in Khiva

In the historical part of Khiva, in Ichankale, there is one of the oldest buildings of the city - the Mausoleum of Said-Allauddin, known in the East as a righteous and Sufi sheikh. During its centuries-old history, it has been restored many times, and the exact date of the construction of the tomb is unknown, but, according to historians, the construction was completed in the second half of the XIV century.

Said Allauddin, being a relative of the Prophet Muhammad, at the end of the XIII century preached Islam in Khiva, and died in 1303. Half a century later, a mazvola was built on the tomb of the saint, the architect of which is considered to be Amir Kulyal. Since then, this place has become one of the centers of pilgrimage for many believers from all over the world.

By its architecture, the mausoleum is not distinguished by a wealth of forms and design: walls and domes of brick, and are not clad in any way, there are no decorative elements, everything is made in an ascetic style. In the XIX century, a small square building (Ziarathona) was added to the mausoleum, as a result of which the entrance to the mausoleum was located from the north. Perhaps the original building had some design (during the excavations, some elements of decorative ceramics were found), but due to many reconstructions, they did not survive. But despite the simple view, thousands of pilgrims from Uzbekistan and other countries visit Said Allauddin’s mausoleum every year.