The Ancient Remains At The Burana Tower, In Kyrgyzstan
The Burana Tower is an impressive minaret located in Tokmok, in the Chuy Valley, in Kyrgyzstan . We want to tell you about this fascinating construction, its history and its characteristics, so that you get to know it better and encourage you to visit it one day. Can you come with us? You certainly won’t be disappointed.
History of the Tower of Burana
The Torre de Burana was built at the end of the 9th century, and it is the only building that remains of the ancient city of Balasagun. This was the capital of the Kara-khanids, a Turkish dynasty that ruled between 999 and 1211 in this region of Central Asia. After its fall, the place gradually fell into decline.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Russian immigrants to the area used some bricks from the tower to erect other buildings. It would take until 1970 for a project to be undertaken to restore the foundations of the tower. Its west side, which threatened to collapse, was also repaired.
The Tower of Burana and the Silk Road
The Tower of Burana is one of the largest heritage sites on the famous Silk Road. This was a large trade route that ran from Chang’an / Luoyang, the ancient capital of China, to the Zhetysu region in central Asia. It was used until the 16th century to promote trade between Asia and Europe.
The legend of the Tower of Burana
There is a curious legend related to this monument. It tells that a witch warned the king that her newborn daughter would die at the age of 18. To protect her, the monarch built a tower where he locked her up. He would only have contact with the servant who brought him the food, and so it was.
The daughter, now a beautiful young woman, finally met her fatal fate. The reason? There was a poisonous spider in the food the servant brought him one day. The animal bit the girl, causing her death. He was 18 when he died, just as the witch had predicted.
Characteristics of the Torre de Burana
The Burana Tower, cylindrical in shape, is 25 meters high. However, it originally measured almost twice as much, 45 meters. The cause of this notable loss of height was a great earthquake that occurred in the 15th century, which destroyed the upper half of the building. The tower is also slightly inclined
On the other hand, in the place where the Torre de Burana sits you can visit some mausoleums, the ruins of the old fortress or the graves of an old cemetery. It is all that remains of the ancient city.
Practical information for your visit
We already know the location of the Burana Tower in Kyrgyzstan, but also, getting to it is very simple. For example, from the Western Bus Station in Bishkek you can take a marshrutka towards Tokmok. Once there, you can hire a taxi to the outskirts, where the minaret is located.
Arrived at our destination, it is convenient to know that it is possible to climb to the top of the Torre de Burana. It is done through a small spiral staircase that is inside. In this way, we can enjoy beautiful views of the environment, which include the steppe and the Tan Shan mountains, with a maximum altitude of 7000 meters.
We will also have the possibility to learn more about the construction thanks to the historical information that is exhibited in a small building located next to the tower. There we can discover artifacts found in the place and in the surrounding region.
The Tower of Burana is a monument of great charm that cannot be missed when traveling to Tokmok or even to the country, don’t you think? If you finally dare, do not forget other attractions such as Lake Issyk-Kul, the city of Karakol or of Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
