Manas Ordo, Medieval mausoleum in Talas Region, Kyrgyzstan

Manas Ordo is a mausoleum of baked brick and carved terracotta in the Talas Valley of Kyrgyzstan, built around 1334 in a portal-domed form with a faceted tent roof. Its main facade is covered with ornamented terracotta tiles that incorporate calligraphic inscriptions. A museum on the grounds displays dioramas of scenes from the epic and portraits of manaschi.

The structure was built in 1334 and is said to mark the resting place of the legendary warrior hero Manas, who stands at the center of the Kyrgyz national epic. Excavations at the site have uncovered old remains that point to burial practices of that period.

Manas Ordo is the most sacred site connected to the hero Manas, who is celebrated in what is considered the longest oral epic in the world. Visitors can see nearby displays showing scenes and objects tied to that tradition.

The site lies east of Talas town and has parking and visitor facilities on site. Weekdays tend to be quieter, which makes it easier to walk around the mausoleum and the museum without crowds.

The Arabic inscription on the facade names Kenizek-Khatun, daughter of Emir Abuka, as the person buried here. Legend says Kanikey, Manas's widow, ordered this inscription to mislead grave robbers. When archaeologists opened the tomb in 1937, they found the skeleton of a man over two meters tall, not a woman.