Dor-ut Tilovat Complex

The Dor-ut-Tilovat Memorial Complex ("The Place of reading the Holy Quran") was formed in 1370-1371 after the death of the outstanding religious figure Shamsiddin Kulal, the founder of Sufism, the spiritual mentor of Emir Taragai and Temur himself, and teacher Bahauddin Naqshbandi. His grave immediately became a place of worship for his many followers. The building of the Dorus Tilovat madrasah stood next to the grave of Sheikh Kulal. The remains of Emir Taragai were moved to one of the rooms of the madrasah. During Temur's reign, Kulala's grave was covered with slabs of marble. Later, during the reign of Ulugbek, a mausoleum with a dome was built over the burial place of Shamsiddin Kulal and on the remains of the former and more modest building. The Kuk-Gumbaz Mosque (Blue Dome) was built opposite the mausoleum in 1435. The inscription on the portal indicates that the mosque was built by Ulugbek on behalf of his father Shahrukh. It is also known as the Friday cathedral mosque of Shakhrisabz.

In 1437-1438, two years after the construction of the mosque, by order of Ulugbek, a tomb was built for the descendants and members of the Temurid clan, behind the southern wall of the mausoleum of Shamsiddin Kulal. Among the marble tombstones of the XV-XVIII centuries., transferred to the tomb in different periods from the neighboring cemetery, there are some that contain the names of the Termez Seyids. Hence the origin of the second and further name of the tomb – Gumbazi-Seyidon (Dome of the Seyids).

Thus, a single memorial complex was formed around the closed courtyard of the Dor-ut-Tilovat madrasah, which consists of the mausoleum of Shamsiddin Kulal, the madrasah itself with the gurkhana of Emir Taragai, the mosque and the makbarat, or tomb, of Ulugbek. Between the two famous memorial ensembles of Dor-us-Saodat and Dor-ut-Tilovat lies an old cemetery where members of the local aristocracy and officials were buried.