This is a view of the Lale (Tulip) Mosque, a 12th century mosque, with a Türbe or grave monument next to it. The latter is much higher than is the rule.

This mausoleum belonged to Lala Muhlisiddin Paşa (Lala = educator/private teacher of a prince), the man who had the mosque built as well. Later on, as the term ‘Lala’ became less used, the name was turned into one everyone understands: Lale (= Tulip).

Many Seljuk (and later Seljuk-style) mausolea are a stone evocation of the pre-islamic funeral hills of the nomads of Central Asia. During their lives, prominent clan members had their funeral hill (‘kurgan’) prepared; when death came, a circular tent was erected on top of the kurgan, and the deceased’s body was laid out, in order to be greeted a last time by the clan members. After this greeting period, the body was placed in the burial chamber inside the kurgan.
A ‘tent-style’ Seljuk Türbe has two parts: a circular or polygonal room with a pyramidal or cone roof, where a cenotaph sarcophagus can be visited and honoured; this is the part referring to the funeral tent. Beneath this ornamented construction the real burial chamber (‘cenazelik’ or ‘mumyalık’) is to be found, where the deceased’s remains were buried; this is the part referring to the burial hill.

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Sources: ‘Tarihi Kayseri Cami ve Mescidleri’ – Doç. Ilhan Özkeçeci (1997) & Website of ‘Kenthaber.com’.