Sayram was divided into three districts, like others of the time: "qohandez" (citadel), "madīnah" (inner town), and "rabaż" (suburb), the latter two being protected by walls. All the houses were of mud brick. The government center ("dār al-imārah"), the prison, and the Friday mosque were all in the inner city. There were four main gates to the inner town, each guarded by a "ribat" manned by "ghāzī"s (volunteer fighters for the faith) recruited from Bukhara and Samarkand. The ruler of Sayram apparently also exercised some authority within the steppes, since Moqaddasi mentions that the "king of the Turkmen" at nearby rdū habitually sent presents to Asfījāb.