ASTANA – The Mazhilis, a lower house of the Kazakh Parliament, approved in its first reading a draft law granting Turkistan the special status of the spiritual and historical capital at a plenary session on Dec. 18, reported the Mazhilis’s press service.
Photo credit: Journal of Nomads. Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times.
The legislation aims to preserve Turkistan’s historical appearance by establishing a reserve of archaeological monuments. Measures include restricting construction in the vicinity of the Khoja Ahmed Yasawi mausoleum to protect its uniqueness. In particular, within 100 meters of the mausoleum’s security zone, buildings taller than seven meters or incompatible with historical monuments in scale, color, or materials will be prohibited.
The bill also supports artisans in national handicrafts by reimbursing 10% to 25% of their costs from the local budget, requiring approximately 88.5 million tenge (US$167,387) annually. Currently, more than 30 artisans work in Turkistan.
Kazakhstan studied the practices of England, Italy, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and other countries in preserving historical monuments when developing the draft law.
Some members of the Mazhilis also proposed limiting alcohol sales near sacred sites. However, a total ban on alcohol in Turkistan is not under consideration, Minister of National Economy Nurlan Baibazarov noted, as the city plans to develop not only religious tourism.
“The restrictions will apply only to the most visited and revered locations,” he commented. “After all, people have their own preferences. If foreigners come, they should be able to relax the way they are used to. There will still be designated places.”
