Tomb of Yusuf ibn Qusayr

The Mausoleum of Yusuf ibn Qusayr, designed by Ajami Nakhchivani, dates from 1162 and is among the oldest monuments in the city center of Nakhchivan. It represents one of the early works of the Nakhchivan school of architecture and an important stop on the historical route of the city. This site lies a short ride from the center by taxi and can easily be visited on the same day as other monuments.

Yusuf ibn Qusayr, who rests in the mausoleum, was a respectable religious and intellectual leader of the 12th century who lived in Nakhchivan. Inscriptions refer to him as “hoja”, “distinguished leader”, “emblem of religious piety”, “beauty of Islam”, “leader of sheikhs”. These titles show that he was not a ruler but a highly prestigious scholar and spiritual figure.

The Arabic Kufic inscription above the entrance gives the date of construction as Shawwal, 557 AH, which corresponds to September-October 1162 CE. The same inscription also gives the name of the architect as “Acemi Abu Bakr’s son Nakhchivani”. This makes it Ajami’s first known work, and the tomb itself is accordingly considered to be a predecessor of the later Mausoleum of Mömine Hatun.

Architecturally, the tomb is octagonal and tower-like in form; it is made of baked brick. A pyramidal/conical roof rises above the tomb. On the upper section, a band of Quranic verses inscribed in Kufic script encircles the tomb. The western façade differs from the other facades; here you will find both the construction inscription and the extensive decoration.

The three main elements of the decorative language include the geometric brickwork rhythmically shaping the structure, the Kufic Quranic band giving religious identity to the structure, and the building inscription bearing the names of Yusuf ibn Qusayr and Ajami. This unity is an early and clear example of the Nakhchivan school using brick as a load-bearing and simultaneously as a decorative material.

It is one of the few medieval monuments surviving from the 12th century into the present, generally retaining its original structure. The tomb was included as part of the “Nakhchivan tombs” group together with the Ajami mausoleums of Mömine Khatun, Karabağlar, and Gülüstan and is considered one of these monuments, jointly put onto the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. As a result, it enjoys protection as a cultural heritage site both at the local and international levels.

Dress modestly during your visit, do not touch the brick surfaces, and keep the area clean. Inside the tomb, it is a standard “crypt + upper chamber” configuration; you can enter when it is open, have a quick prayer, and enjoy the serenity inside. You may take pictures from outside; if you want professional photography, you must follow the local rules. By putting the Yusuf ibn Qusayr Mausoleum in your itinerary, you won’t just see a tomb but get to experience Ajami’s first signature, the birth of Nakhchivan brick art, and the spirit of the 12th-century Atabek period within a small but intense architectural language.