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TOURIST
SITES IN KYRGYZSTAN
Ak-Beshim
Located
in Tokmak and neighbouring the Burana Tower, Ak-Beshim are the ruins
of the ancient town. The mounds and ridges at Ak-Beshim delineate
a large town (35 hectares) which has yielded remains of a Nestorian
church and a Buddhist temple from the 7th and 8th
centuries. Ak-Beshim is reckoned to have been the most important
town in its time. The site has since been reliably identified as
Suyab. Mentioned in medieval literary sources as a thriving and
powerful city, Suyab was the capital of the Western Turkic Khanate
(6th century AD) and of the later Qarluq Turks (8th
century AD). The city also flourished under the Arabs from the 10th
to 12th centuries. top
Ala-Archa
Canyon
The
Ala-Archa canyon is located in the highest, central part of the
Kyrgyz Ridge which is famous for its eternal snow-stretching for
almost 200 km - and such peaks as Dvurogaya (4,380 m), Korona (4,860
m), Baylyanbaish (4,700 m), and the highest peak of the Kyrgyz ridge
- Semenov-Tian-Shansky (4,875 m). The Ala-Archa canyon is the center
of the Ala-Archa National Park, one of the main tourist attractions
in Kyrgyzstan. The national park (at the height from 1600 m to 4860m)
is situated 45 km from the capital of Kyrgyzstan - Bishkek. The
total area of the Park is 19,500 square kilometres.
The
name of the national park, Ala-Archa, means �many-coloured juniper�,
which testifies to the abundance of this tree here. A river with
the same name crosses the canyon. This river, like all rivers in
Kyrgyzstan, originates from mountain glaciers. The Ala-Archa, the
Adygene, and the Ak-Sai are the largest rivers in the national park.
There
are 160 species of birds in Ala-Archa. Local fauna also includes
the snow leopard, a butterfly called the Night Peacock Eye, wolves,
snakes, owls, and many others. The Ala-Archa canyon has about 1,100
species of plants: wormwood in the steppe zone at the mountain foot,
different grasses, bushes, and juniper forests on mountain slopes
that are replaced with alpine meadows. This grand, rugged but very
accessible gorge is offering dozens of walking and trekking possibilities,
including hikes to glaciers and, for the serious mountaineer, treks
to the region's highest peak. There are basic shelters scattered
throughout the park but the best way to enjoy the area is to bring
your own tent and supplies. You can use the Upper Ala-Archa Mountain
Ski Base (2100 m) as a starting point from which to ski on glaciers,
even in summer. top
Bishkek
Bishkek,
the capital of Kyrgyzstan, is situated at an altitude of 750 meters
above sea level. It has area of 124 square km and a population of
approximately 670,000 people. The city was constructed on the site
of a fort (called Pishpek) built by the Khan of Kokand in 1825 and
destroyed by the Russians in 1862. Russians and Ukrainians began
to settle here in the latter decades of the 19th century,
planting beets, wheat and potatoes in the fertile valleys. Known
briefly as Bishkek (the word bishkek means a churn used to
make fermented mare's milk) after the Soviet takeover, the city
was renamed Frunze in 1926, in honour of Mikhail Frunze, the Soviet
general who won Central Asia for the Bolsheviks in the Civil War.
The city was again renamed Bishkek when Kyrgyzstan declared its
independence in 1991.
Sightseeing
and excursions
Bishkek
City tour 01-Half-day
The
State Museum of History. Lenin still stands on his pedestal
in former Lenin Square. There is also the State Museum of History
with two yurts, a small archaeology exhibit and a beguiling
display of Kyrgyz carpets, embroidery and other applied crafts.
Highlights of the history section include a giant koumis skin,
photographs of Kyrgyz victims of purges of the Stalin era in the
1930s and the exhumation of their mass grave at Chon Tash near Bishkek.
The
Osh Bazaar on Kievskaya Str. is the biggest market in Kyrgyzstan.
It is a typical eastern bazaar, which is noisy and full of local
color.
Kyrgyz
State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet is the cultural centre
of Kyrgyzstan. The construction of the building began before the
World War II but it was completed in 1955.
The
central department store "ZUM carries a wide range of local
handicrafts, including felt carpets, jewelry, clothing, the traditional
men's ak-kalpak and other hats, and ornate riding gear.
Philharmonic
Hall near Manas Square. People come here to see the folk show.
Burana
Tower
The Burana archeological and architectural complex is situated 12
km to the south of Tokmak. The name Burana is believed to be a corruption
in a local dialect of the Turkic word munara "minaret":
for centuries, all that remained of Balasagun were the topless,
25-meter minaret and the overgrown mound of the old citadel. Originally,
minaret was 37 to 38 meters high, but in the 16th century
an earthquake badly damaged the memorial. Near the minaret there
are the ruins of three mausoleums, only their basements were preserved.
The site first attracted attention of archaeologists in the late
1880s. There is also a small museum displaying excavated objects.
Burana
is on the site of an ancient settlement of the 10th century
that is identified with the historical city Balasagun, which was
the capital of the Karakhanids State during the 10th
to 12th centuries. Balasagun was so important that Genghis
Khan's Mongol Horde spared the city from destruction when they began
to conquer the world in the early 13th century.
Only
central ruins of inner city (shakhristan), measuring 570
to 600 meters, were preserved from the primary square of the medieval
city, which used to be 30 square km. A cultural layer of the city
hides numerous remains of building of the 10th to 14th
centuries. Balasagun was the birthplace (in 1015) of the poet Jusup
Balasagun whose works was the brilliant example of the high Islamic
culture in Medieval Central Asia. His only survived work �Kutadgy
Bilig� (�the knowledge that brings happiness�) was written in his
native Uigur language in Arabic script in about 1070.
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Cholpon-Ata
Cholpon-Ata
is located at an altitude of 1609 meters above the sea level at
the northern side of the Issyk-Kul Lake (250 km from Bishkek). In
the area there are the significant mountain gorges of Kungei, Ala-Too,
Chon-Koi-Suu and Cholpon-Ata. It�s worth visiting a number of waterfalls,
lakes, and forests. The great panoramic view of the Terskei Ala-Too
rise up from the emerald riverbanks to the high celestial passes.
The
stops of pristine tribes of the Neolithic period were found in many
places on the shores of Issyk-Kul Lake, near Cholpon-Ata. There
is a huge field of stones with very old rock inscriptions above
the town. There are thousands of petroglyphs in Cholpon-Ata valley
stretching from the slopes of the Kungey Ala-Too range to the Issyk-Kul
Lake. The primitive images are mostly of ibexes, horses (some with
riders and bows), snow leopards, camels, etc. These images belong
to the 2 millennium BC-the 7th century AD but the greater
part goes back to the 7-1st centuries BC when the territory
of the Issyk-Kul was populated by Saka tribes, predating the arrival
of the Kyrgyz in the area. The Cholpon-Ata town is small but unique.
The local museum has many ancient objects of the life in the mountainous
region and displays the local history and culture.
Issyk-Kul
Lake
Issyk-Kul
means �hot lake� in Kyrgyz and confirms its name by not freezing
in winter. It sits 1609m above the sea level and has an area of
6206 square km (179 km long and 60 km wide), making it the second
largest alpine lake in the world after Lake Titicaca in South America.
About 134 rivers flow into the lake. No river flow out of Issyk-Kul
so the lake accumulates all mineral substances carried here by the
rivers and rains. The water is very light and transparent, in clear
weather one can see the lake�s bottom. Since ancient times, Issyk-Kul
has been famous for its curative mineralised water, hot springs
and medicinal mud used for treating many diseases.
The
lake is encircled with high mountains. The powerful ranges of the
Kungei Ala-Too and Terskei Ala-Too round the lake from the South
and North and form a hallow 2-3.5 km deep, which extends for 240
km west to east. This offers excellent opportunities for developing
mountain tourism, mountaineering, and mountain skiing.
Thanks
to the mixture of mountainous and marine climate it is not extremely
hot at the lake in summer and nights are always cool. The average
monthly temperature is 20�C (�F) and in January it�s not less than
-5�C (�F). During the summer season, between June and September,
the average waster temperature is +22-24�C (�F). The area of Lake
Issyk-Kul keeps a lot of secrets. At present at the bottom of
the lake archaeologists have discovered the ruins of an ancient
city, Chigu, which sank many centuries ago. It was a capital of
the Usuni State since the 2nd century BC, and the trade centre of
the Tian Shan on the Great Silk Road.
Attractions
in the lake region include the Altyn Arashan hot spring development,
set in a 3000m (9840ft) high alpine valley; the immense, silent
summer pasture of the Karkara valley; the extraordinary red sandstone
cliffs of the Jeti-Oghuz canyon; and the excellent hiking trails
into the Terskey Alatau, south of Karakol. The best time to visit
is September, though trekking in the mountains is best between July
and August. top
Karakol
Karakol is situated at an altitude of 1700 meters near the eastern
end of Lake Issyk-Kul and near the highest mountains - Peak Pobedy
(7439 m) and Khan-Tengry (7010 m). It is the principal town in the
region with population of 70,000 people, and the best base from
which to explore the lakeshore. It�s a low-rise town, famous for
its apple orchards and Sunday market (one of the best in Central
Asia).
The
city of Karakol (�Black Lake in KyrgyzKyrgyz) was founded in 1869
as a military and trade point on the trade road from the Chu valley
to Kashgar. Among the sights of the city one can see:
The
Dungan�s wooden Mosque, built without a single nail in the style
of a Buddhist pagoda.
There is also a Russian Orthodox Church, the Museum of History and
oriental bazaar. 10 kilometers southeast of Karakol there is situated
the amazing and beautiful mountain gorge of Arashan. There, at the
altitude of 2000 m in a broad valley with a fir-tree forest meadows
and colorful flowers, is the health resort Altyn-Arashan located
on hot springs with a high radiation and mineral component. In the
upper regions of Arashan, Moraine Lake Kashka-Su and the Ak-Sai
wall and waterfall may be visited. top
Krasnaya
Rechka
The
sight is located only 30 km east of Bishkek in the village "Krasnaya
Rechka".
The
irregular mounds and softy eroded clay walls rippling off the valley
floor are the remains of the Silk Road City of Navekat, which flourished
from the 6th to the 12th centuries. The founders
were Sogdians; Navekat means "new city" in Sogdian. Archaeologists
have discovered remains of a Buddhist temple, a fortress, a Karakhanid
palace complex, and Buddhist as well as Nestorian-Christian cemeteries.
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Osh
The
Osh region is the largest region of Kyrgyzstan, with a multiethnic
population consisting of 1.4 million people. It lies in the southern
part of Pamir-Alai and includes the hilly lowlands of the Ferghana
Valley. The geography of the region is one of contrasts. At one
edge of the Ferghana Valley gentle hills rise into mid-sized mountains
and then gradually into high altitude ranges.
The
climate of the Osh region is defined by its geographical location.
Osh is far away from major bodies of water and immense deserts lie
nearby. All of this results in a climate that is continental or
arid, depending on the time of the year. There are more than 150
rivers in the Osh region. More than 100 lakes and waterfalls are
hidden within mountain gorges and valleys. The mountainous area
surrounding the Osh region is well known for its many beautiful
caves.
Many
centuries ago the territory of the Osh region was the part of the
powerful and highly cultured kingdoms of Davan, Kushan and Karakhanid.
Large cities and fortresses were strewn about the region. It is
believed that the first inhabitants appeared here about 500,000
years ago, at the beginning of the epoch of primitive communal society.
The stone utensils from the early Palaeolithic period, found in
this region, confirms this.
Osh
is one of the oldest towns in Central Asia, located on the southern
edge of the Ferghana Valley at the northern foot of the Pamir-Alai
mountain range, at an altitude of 940-1070 m above the sea level.
The population of Osh is about 250,000 people. Osh fills the role
of southern Kyrgyzstan�s political and cultural center.
The
earliest manuscripts about Osh date back to the 9th century
AD. However the archaeologists have proved that it was populated
long before this date. The archaeologists have discovered in the
center of the town, on Suleiman Mountain a settlement with the rock
drawings and inscriptions dating back to the end and the beginning
of the 1st millennium BC. Radiocarbon analysis of the
coal taken from the Osh settlement confirms that Osh has indeed
existed for 3000 years.
Geographically
located at the foot of the Pamir mountain range, Osh held a special
position in the style of caravan routes that made up the Silk Road.
Osh was located at the crossroads of several branches of caravan
trails, and was an important staging post in transit trade.
The
legends of Osh are evidence of its ancient origin. According to
one of the many stories concerning its beginning, the city was founded
by Alexander the Great, another states that the prophet Solomon
founded the city, while yet another says that Osh was founded by
Adam. The most popular legend however, is that of Solomon, of the
Bible, drove oxen hitched plow in front of his advancing army, and
when the oxen came to the famous mountain, Solomon said: �Khosh!�
(�That�s enough!�), and hence the origin of Osh.
A
Bronze Age settlement was discovered on the slopes of Suleiman Mountain
located in the centre of Osh. The settlement existed from the
end of the 2nd century BC until the beginning of the
1st century BC. These ancient settlements encircle the
central summit of the mountain. Until the 16th century
the Suleiman Mountain was called Bara-Kukh (beautiful mountain).
Takht-I-Suleiman (Throne of Suleiman) was the name given to the
mountain when the Moslem prophet Suleiman was buried at the foot
of the mountain; since that time people have considered the mountain
a holy place. In the caves of the mountain there is the Museum of
History, which has collected unique articles of culture and every
day life of the ancient inhabitants.
The
main trading place in Osh has always been the market, which has
changed over its more than 2000 years of existence, though always
remaining in the same locale. Tourists are attracted today to the
bazaar in Osh with its distinct oriental colours and the aromatic
smells of spices and fruits. This is one of the Central Asia�s best
open markets, teeming with Uzbek, Kyrgyz and Tajik dealing in everything
from traditional hats and knives to horseshoes, Chinese tea-sets,
plus abundant seasonal fruit and vegetables.
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Tash
- Rabat
The stone fortress Tash-Rabat is located at the altitude of 3530
m, 80 km far from Torugart (China-Kyrgyz border post) and 90 km
from Naryn town. Recent investigations have shown that this monument
dates back to the 10th century. It is supposed to be
the monastery of Nestorian-Christians (or Buddhist) who came here
before the Mongolian invasion and before the spreading of Islam
in Tian Shan.
Tash-Rabat
fits in well with the mountain landscape. The whole structure consists
of a big hall (a few fragments of the original interior are visible)
and 31 rooms around it, enclosed by 20 domes with 11 vaults. There
are numerous underground passages, secret exits and underground
prison (zindan) in the fortress. It is the only construction
in Central Asia made of stone, used like a fort by the refugees
or hermits, and the place of studying the religion and the shelter
for the trade caravans for many centuries. top
Uzgen
Uzgen
town, which is situated on the right bank of the mountain river
Kara-Darya (60 km away from Osh), was founded in the 8-9th
centuries. The fourth city according to its size after Axiket, Kuba
and Osh it was a large trade centre on the outskirts of the state
of Samanids. From the second part of the 11th century
till the beginning of the 13th century this mighty fortress,
Uzgen, was the capital of Ferghana apanage of the Karakhanid State.
In the 13th century it was destroyed by Genghis Khan
and only the Uzgen Tower (Minaret) and three mausoleums preserved.
Nowadays there are sites of ancient settlement; the ruins of the
citadel and shakhristan (inner city). Uzgen Minaret of the
10-12th centuries, built near the Muslim mosque, still
keeps some remains of its decoration.
Uzgen
mausoleums of the 11-12th centuries, the Northern, Middle
and Southern, were built in the centre of the city not far from
each other. In mausoleums rulers of Karakhanids dynasty are buried.
There is a supposition that in the Middle one, which was built at
the beginning of the 11th century, founder of the Karakhanids
dynasty Nasr Ibn Ali was buried. The latter one - Northern mausoleum
was built in 1152-1153 years, there is a remains of Hasan Ibn Husein
Ibn Ali in it. Name of a man that was buried in the third - Southern
mausoleum isn't known, but the carved terracotta keeps the date
- 1187 year. Mausoleums are decorated with the carved polished bricks
with belts of aphorisms in kufi writing on the portals.
The monuments of Uzgen are called �encyclopaedia of the Karakhanids
culture�, because one can observe clearly progress stages of an
architectural forms as well as of the decorative art of the 11-12th
centuries. top
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