The Tekturmas Mausoleum was built in the 14^th century on the right bank of the River Talas. Zoroastrian (a religion founded by the Persian prophet ‘Zoroaster’ in the late 7th or early 6th centuries BC), Muslim and Christian cemeteries can all be found on top of the hills here, while an ancient underground passage can be found at the base of the hills; a stone bridge could be found across the River Talas at one point but only a few fragments of this remain. In the 1930s, many historical and cultural monuments, particularly religious ones, were partially or entirely destroyed as a result of the actions of militant atheists. Fortunately, a photograph of the mausoleum was saved (from the 1880s). The mausoleum is characterised by its severe form. Investigative excavations were carried out in 2001 by the archaeologist A. Itenov, and a new mausoleum was built for 2002 on the exact site of the former. It was known by local residents as ‘Tek-turmas’ and considered to be the burial site of the holy Sultan Mahmud-khan. The name ‘Tek-turmas’ itself means, in Turkic, ‘unsettled place’.