After a few days in Bishkek, we've started our tour around Kyrgyzstan. There are the four of us, along with our french speaking local guide Talant and our driver Dima. This configuration gives us flexibility in case we need to improvise another program if Milena does not support the altitude of the highest sights.
Our first stop is Burana Tower, a 25 meter high minaret near the city of Tokmok, around 70 km east of Bishkek. It was built during the 11th century by the Sogdians - an Iranian civilization - and then taken by the Karakhanids, the people of Turkic descent who spread Islam in Central Asia. It used to be part of the thriving city of Balasagun until an earthquake completely destroyed it 500 years ago.
During the last century, local people did not considered the tower as much more than a reserve of bricks for other construction projects. As a result, it was in danger of collapsing when the soviets renovated it at the beginning of the 1970s.
Our first stop is Burana Tower, a 25 meter high minaret near the city of Tokmok, around 70 km east of Bishkek. It was built during the 11th century by the Sogdians - an Iranian civilization - and then taken by the Karakhanids, the people of Turkic descent who spread Islam in Central Asia. It used to be part of the thriving city of Balasagun until an earthquake completely destroyed it 500 years ago.
During the last century, local people did not considered the tower as much more than a reserve of bricks for other construction projects. As a result, it was in danger of collapsing when the soviets renovated it at the beginning of the 1970s.
Burana Tower in front of the Tian Shan mountains.
It was originally about 45 meter high. The earthquake that wiped out Balasagun also destroyed its top half.
There is an open air museum around the minaret with a collection of artifacts found in the region.
Some antique... stuff.
A petroglyph depicting a deer hunting scene.
Turkic gravestones are sculpted with a bowl and a knife in each hand.
The bowl to welcome friends; the knife to greet foes.
Beside the tower, there are almost no remains of the Balasagun citadel.
The region of Tokmok viewed from the top.
The stairway within the tower is steep, dark and narrow.
The four of us in front of the Burana tower.
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