SENTIMUR TOMB

Located west of Sivas Street in the city center of Tokat, the structure's two line marble inscription above the prayer window indicates that it was built for Nur al Din ibn Sentimur, one of the Mongol emirs who died in 713 (1314). The tomb has an octagonal drum resting on a square body, with an inner dome rising above it and an outer star shaped dome. The transition to the rather wide dome is achieved with Turkish triangles. While cut stone is used in the body of the structure, the drum and dome are built with brick. This feature distinguishes the tomb from other structures of the same period in Anatolia. In addition, the star shaped dome forming the roof is not a common practice in Anatolia. The structure shows similarities to the Balacı Hatun Tomb in Talas (early 12th century), belonging to the Karakhanids, the Imam Avnüddin Mausoleum in Mosul (646/1248), belonging to the Zengids of Iraq, and the Seyfeddin Torumtay Tomb in Amasya (677/1278-79).