The article is devoted to the digital reconstruction of the mausoleum of Sheikh Nur al-Din Basir (d. 1249), one of the most revered Sufi saints of Samarkand, whose cult flourished under the great Central Asian ruler Amir Timur (1336-1405). According to historical sources, the original burial site was located at the foot of the ancient citadel, on the left bank of the Navadon River. In the 14th century, on Timur’s orders, the boundaries of the citadel were expanded to include the saint’s burial place. A monumental two-chamber mausoleum with a pilgrimage antechamber (ziyaratkhana) and a burial chamber (gurkhana) was erected over the tomb. At the end of the 19th century, during the construction of the Russian fortress and esplanade, the mausoleum was destroyed and the remains of the saint were reburied. The present study is the first to present an architectural reconstruction of the monument based on the analysis of architectural drawings, archival data, photographs and maps, using modern methods of historical and architectural analysis, and landscape reconstruction.

Timurid Architecture, Samarkand, Amir Timur, Sufism, Mausoleums