Periodicals of Engineering and Natural Sciences ISSN 2303-4521 Vol. 9, No. 1, January 2021, pp.127-138 127 Mausoleum of Khoja Akhmed Yassawi as the element of regional identity formation in modern architecture of Kazakhstan Gulnara S. Abdrassilova 1 , Elvira T. Murzagaliyeva 1 , Sabina Kuc 2 1 Faculty of Architecture, Kazakh Leading Academy of Architecture and Civil Engineering (KazGASA), Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan 2 Faculty of Architecture, Cracow University of Technology, Kraków, Poland ABSTRACT The formation of a regional identity is a very important cultural and socio-political trend in the formation of an independent state. Against the background of the acculturation of the Soviet period, in post-Soviet conditions there is a search for the origins of the traditional spiritual and material culture of Kazakhstan. From this perspective, one of the most famous architectural monuments of Central Asia is of great interest – the Mausoleum of Khoja Akhmed Yassavi in the city of Turkestan. The architecture of the mausoleum reflects the local traditions of formation and has become a source of inspiration for architects of different periods. The article analyses the cultural and historical significance of the mausoleum and its role in the formation of regional identity in the modern architecture of Kazakhstan. Keywords: Turkestan, mausoleum of Khoja Akhmed Yassavi, regional identity, architecture of Kazakhstan Corresponding Author: Elvira T. Murzagaliyeva Faculty of Architecture Kazakh Leading Academy of Architecture and Civil Engineering (KazGASA) 050043, 28 Ryskulbekov Str., Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan E-mail: e.murzagaliyeva5772@tanu.pro 1. Introduction Thousands of people visit the city of Turkestan in Kazakhstan every year, making a pilgrimage to the mausoleum of Khoja Akhmed Yassavi, which is highly revered by Muslims in Central Asia. As a monument of architecture of the XIV century, since 2003 the mausoleum has been included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. An authentic structure of colossal size has attracted the attention of researchers for six centuries and continues to be the architectural dominant of the city of Turkestan. Turkestan is one of the oldest cities in Kazakhstan, located in the southern part of the country. It was founded more than 1.500 years ago and has always had special cultural and historical significance for Central Asia and the Turkic world. The first mention of the name of the city of Turkestan dates back to the end of the 15th century. In the XVI-XVIII centuries, the city was the capital of the Kazakh Khanate. Since the second half of the twentieth century, the city has been one of the industrial, agrarian, educational, cultural and tourist centers of Kazakhstan. Since June 19, 2018, the city of Turkestan has changed its status: from the local center it has been transferred to the status in the regional center of Turkestan region. Due to the new administrative role of the city in the local settlement system, there is a need to define criteria for the formation of the spatial environment of Turkestan and to emphasize the architectural importance of the mausoleum of Khoja Akhmed Yassawi as a dominant and valuable element of heritage. The long-established function of the city of Turkestan as the cultural and spiritual center of the Turkic world challenges the professional community to study the city in accordance with the