Kayseri - Döner Kümbet Mausoleum

Kayseri can justifiably be described as the city of mausoleums as there are so many of them. The appearance and origins of these tombs owe a great deal to the central Asian funeral tents in which the mummified body was left to lie in state for several months before it was interred. Among the most interesting türbe and kümbet in Kayseri is the so-called Döner Kümbet situated on the road to Talas about 1km/0.5mi south of the citadel. This richly decorated structure with a pointed roof was built in 1267 for the Seljuk princess Sah Cihan Hatun. The origin of the irksome inscription "Revolving Tomb" is unknown. Three other türbe can be found nearby: Sirçali Kümbet, Emir Ali Türbesi and a türbe of unknown origin. The Sirçali Mausoleum originates from an Uigur named Eretna. Near Cumhuriyet Meydani on Sivas Caddesi stands the Zeynel Abidin Türbesi and further out of town on the road to Sivas, the Çifte Kümbet (Twin Vault Mausoleum) can be found. It was constructed for one of Alaeddin Kaykobad's wives in 1247. One rather unusual construction is the Kösk Medresesi, also known as the Kösk Kümbet. Located near the Archeological Museum the mausoleum is surrounded by a turreted wall and was built by Eretna in 1339.