Mausoleum of Muhammed Bashoro

Mohammed Bashoro - a specialist in Hadith (verses about the words and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad and his associates) from the early period of Islam.

The mausoleum of Muhammad Bashoro is an architectural monument in Tajikistan (Mazar-i-Sharif) (11th-12th centuries). On the side of the mountain, there is a beautiful area among the trees. It has a unique history of complex size. Initially, it consisted of three parts [mausoleum, mosque and two underground rooms (cemetery)]. In 1342-43, a large, deep arched shrine and small rooms in the corner, as well as a series of corridors, were built in the mix. The mausoleum of Muhammad Bashoro is domed. Under the dome, there are muqarnas. The main-style roof is luxuriously decorated, with intricate carvings and white, blue, and air-coloured glazed ceramics. The floor is decorated with floral patterns and the office is filled with letters. The mausoleums and the shrines are made of various coloured tiles and carved marble.

Originally, the shrine was built without a portal. The portal was decorated in the 14th century with carved terracotta of unparalleled beauty and complexity. Such a technique required a high level of expertise, attention to detail and precision in assembly. The portal is bi-coloured - a double frame made of turquoise enamel bricks, bordered by pink terracotta patterns. The exact date of completion is preserved among the inscriptions - the year 743 Hijri, which corresponds to 1342-1343. The portal decoration is a masterpiece of Tajik medieval art and one of the most outstanding works of decorator masters after the Mongol conquest.

There are many puzzles about the architecture of the mausoleum, and even now, it provides new discoveries. First, it is necessary to determine whether Muhammed Bashoro, who died in 866, was actually buried here. If this is true, an older mausoleum, probably made of mud-brick, which has not survived, may have been found at the site of his tomb. Some are of the opinion that the building was originally a mosque and not a mausoleum - this is evidenced by the normal southwest orientation of the mihrab in such buildings. Later, when someone was buried in the mosque (possibly apart from Muhammed Bashoro), it was no longer used as a mosque and another building was added for the masjids. A new portal was added to this building in the early 14th century, which changed the position of the entrance.