This mausoleum is another stopping point on the religious tour of the Ichan Kala where pilgrims come to pay homage to the renowned holy man and descendant of Mohammed, Sayid Allaudin. He was a devout and well-educated religious leader who played a key role in shaping the ideas of his disciples. They included famous saints such as Khiva's hero, Pakhlavan Mahmoud, and Kulyal Emir, who went on to mentor Bakhauddin Nakshbandi, the founder of the most influential Sufi order in Central Asia. A competent all-rounder, Sayid Allaudin was also a skilled potter and accomplished tile maker.
After Sayid Allaudin's death in 1303, a modest mausoleum was built by his faithful student, Kulyal Emir, who also included a tomb for himself. Unfortunately, he was never laid to rest beside his beloved master since he died in Bukhara and was entombed there. As the years passed, more and more pilgrims came to pay their respects and the building was enlarged to include a prayer room and nearby cemetery. However it fell into disrepair and was buried under piles of rubble until excavation of the Old City began in 1957.
Considered the oldest building in Khiva, this simple mausoleum boasts a single white dome and an unusually large grave stone. By far its most striking features are the raised blue, green and turquoise tiles which are amazingly well preserved examples of the unique tilework produced in Kunya Urgench in the fourteenth century. Unfortunately the rest of the building is falling prey to rising salt damp.