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Serakhs

Turkmenistan

Serakhs, the center of the oasis, a small town on the Turkmen-Iranian border was founded in the age of the Archimenides (VI-IV cc.BC).

Among the preserved creations of the Serakhs architects there can be distinguished monuments located directly in Serakhs oasis. Firstly, it is the Old Serakhs citadel built in the post Mongol period and the mausoleum of Abul Fazl, constructed in 1024 over the tomb of a famous muslim mystic of XI c. The popular name of the monument is Serakhs -Baba. It is considered to be the most perfect creation of the medieval architecture of Southern Turkmenistan. Next in significance is the mausolem of Sheikh Lokhman. A few km to the south-east of the Abu-Fasl one can see the ruins of the mausoleum of Sheikh Akhmed Al-Khady called by people Yarty Gumbez. Built in 1098 it is decorated with ornamental brickwork and inscriptions in the Arabic “kufi” script. Another interesting illustration of ancient history of the site is the Polekhatum bridge across the  Tejen River 70 km south to Serakhs on the very Iranian border. The folk connect the bridge with the name of Alexander the Great. It was the very place where in summer 350 BC the great invader crossed the Arii river (Herirud, Tejen) on the way from Persipolis (the town at the Persian Gulf) to Araxos (that is on the territory of modern Afghanistan). These basic monuments are undoubtedly of a great interest to all who want to open the fascinating history and enchanting beauty of Central Asian architecture.

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