Guide
The twin tomb towers at Ahlat stand side by side and were built in the second half of the thirteenth century. They are called twins because two people are buried in each.
The eastern of the two belongs to Bugatay Aka and Şirin Hatun. It is built of Ahlat cut stone, and its burial chamber is square in plan, entered from the east down a flight of steps and through a pointed-arched door; the chamber is covered by a pointed barrel vault and ventilated by chimney-like slit windows on its east and west sides. The tower has two levels and is covered by a conical cap decorated with Bursa arches. The other tomb, smaller than the first, belongs to Hüseyin Timur and Esentekin Hatun. Its square base also forms the burial chamber, which is reached down six steps, covered by a mirror vault, and has a large pointed-arched niche in the middle of its south side; three slit windows light it. This building too has two levels and ends in a conical cap.
