The Mausoleum of Yarkant Khans (also known as Altun Mazar, lit. “Golden Mausoleum”) is the royal cemetery of the Yarkant Khanate (1514–1680), located in Shache County (Yarkant), Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang, China.
Basic Facts
Built: 1533 (in memory of Sultan Said Khan, founder of the Yarkant Khanate); expanded over the next century.
Area: ~15,000 m².
Status: Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level (since 2006).
Burials: 11 generations of the Yarkant royal family, including Amannisa Khan (1526–1560), poet and compiler of the Twelve Muqams.
Layout & Architecture
The complex consists of three main parts:
Altun Mazar (Royal Tombs): Rows of brick tombs with Islamic-style plaster carvings, glazed tiles, and Arabic inscriptions.
Altun Mosque: West of the tombs, rectangular (1,000 m²), with 60 wooden pillars; built 1533, renovated 1735.
Amannisa Khan’s Mausoleum: Southeast of the main complex, a two-story square dome structure (22 m high) dedicated to the “Mother of Muqam”.
Significance
Islamic Art: Unique layout and decoration, a masterpiece of Uyghur-Islamic architecture.
History: Critical for studying the Yarkant Khanate’s politics, society, and funeral customs.
Culture: Honors Amannisa Khan, preserving the legacy of the Twelve Muqams, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Visiting Information
Location: Between old and new towns, Altun Delwaz, Shache County.
Open: 10:00–20:00 (last entry 19:30).
Ticket: ~CNY 40 (part of the Yarkant Customs Tourism Area).
