Karasopy, the mausoleum

Located 5 km from the city of Zhanakorgan (Zhanakorgan district, Kyzylorda region).

In the mausoleum are buried the children of Aikozha Ishaan - Mamyraiymshaiyk and Ibraimshaiyk, Karasopy himself is buried in a modest fence in front of the mausoleum.

According to oral information, Karasopy studied in Bukhara together with Aikozha Ishaan, Maral Ishaan, Kulboldy Ishaan. He worked under the guidance of Aikozha Ishaan, received his blessing, and then became an aulie (saint) himself. According to the folk legend, Karasopy adopted the five-year-old Aikozha and took him to Bukhara and Mecca. Aikozha Ishaan opened a madrassa school in Karasopy and was engaged in education among the people. But then Aikozha Ishaan, offended by the words of his contemporary Koken Batyr, moved from Karasopy to Aktas. Later Aikozha's son Atakozha ordered to build a mazaar in honor of Karasopy. The mausoleum was erected in the 1870s. Karasopy Mausoleum is a historical and cultural monument of national importance.

The mausoleum is recognized by specialists as one of the monumental sites of architecture in the lower reaches of the Syr Darya, which competently solved specific spatial problems. The accent is made on the interior and the entrance part - a deep portal niche and a light arcade, perceived from close range. The role of the high dome is to create a silhouette at a long distance. The architectural parameters of the monument are as follows: it is made of burnt, rectangular bricks (6×14×26 cm), volume - 9.6×14 m. The height is 9 m, the dome has eight tops (spires). It consists of two small rooms. Parameters of the room where the grave is located, 12.3 × 8.7 m, additional room is slightly smaller in volume. The door is located on the side of the Kaaba. The mausoleum's cells are longitudinal-two-chamber. The first chamber looks like a high dome iwan, behind it there is a burial chamber. The main part of the facade is in the south-west direction. The entrance chamber is covered by a vault, the castle part of which protrudes over the roof of the main volume and is hidden by arcade. On both sides of the entrance there are also deep vaulted, but smaller niches. The burial chamber of the mausoleum is square in plan with four wide niches in the walls, covered with small arrow arches. The transition to the circle of the dome is carried out by gradual filling of the masonry over the angular archways, with half of the closed vault filled. In the western wall of the cell, in the lower part of the cell, there is an arched window aperture for memorial prayer. Both chambers are plastered, whitewashed and contain, especially the funeral chamber, rich multicolored ornamental paintings with geometric and plant motifs with predominance of red, yellow and turquoise colors.

The mausoleum has been restored: interior ornamentation and brick elements have been restored at the entrance. The drum windows under the dome are fitted with new decorative grilles, the pointed top of the dome is restored. In 1980, the architects of the "Kazprojectrestoration" Institute conducted research work. The monument was taken under the protection of the state in 1982.

The Karasopy Mausoleum was built in the style of Islamic architectural art and is part of the historical and cultural heritage of the Kazakh people. Legends are associate its erection with the descendants of Aikozha Ishaan, who was revered as a saint.