Burana Tower
Burana Tower
The Burana Tower is located in the north of Kyrgyzstan, 80 km from the country’s capital Bishkek, in the Chui Valley. The familiar name? Surely! After all, the Chuy valley lies only in its eastern part in Kyrgyzstan, the rest — in our Kazakhstan and is one of the favorite places for guests and residents of our country.
In appearance, the Burana Tower resembles a lighthouse, but its purpose in another, or rather it was in another, because this building was built in the X-XI century. The tower is a religious object, at one time it was a minaret of the Karakhanid empire. In the Islamic religion, the minaret is the tower with which the muezzin calls upon believers to pray.
Not only due to its age, the tower of Buran is an archaeological and architectural heritage, but also due to its history. The tower is one of the few surviving remains of the city of Balasagun, which was the capital of the Karakhanid empire.
You can come here not only for the sake of the tower, or rather, the tower is not the only ancient monument. Near it, you can also find a small collection of stone idols, balbals, which were created in the VI century to honor the memory of the deceased.
There are also petroglyphs dating from an even earlier period — the 2nd century BC. For the convenience of tourists, the local authorities built a small museum at the tower, because Balasagun was not only the capital of a huge empire, but also one of the most important cities on the Great Silk Road. The museum is full of ancient coins, incredible pottery and other artifacts.
The East does not leave such ancient and interesting places without the corresponding legends. It is believed that the tower used to be much higher than now. What happened to its top? The Kyrgyz have an answer to this.
The powerful khan had a daughter named Monara, whom he loved and protected in every way. The unknown girl of the future girl scared the Khan and he decided to convene all clairvoyants. All forecasters predicted the girl a happy and long life. All but one elder. He said: “I know that for such a truth they can execute me, but I will still say. As soon as your daughter turns 16, she will be bitten by a black spider and she will die. ”
From such a prediction, the khan was furious, ordered to build a high tower and in the room under the tower to imprison the aksakal, and place his daughter in the room at the very top.
The daughter grew up all alone, like Rapunzel. She was only allowed to look at the world through the four windows of her dome. Khan’s subjects brought her food and water only after a full inspection of the clothes for the presence of any living creatures.
When the day of her 16th birthday arrived, the khan announced a feast in honor of the fact that the predictions of the old aksakal did not come true and went to congratulate his daughter. He plucked a bunch of grapes that she loved so much and entered her room. Kissing and hugging his daughter, the Khan handed the bunch to the girl in his arms. At that moment, she suddenly fell unconscious and her heart stopped beating. Having examined his gift, a stunned khan found a black spider in it! Overwhelmed with grief, the khan cried for a long time and loudly over the body of his daughter, which made the tower shake and its upper floors collapsed with a roar.
If you go to visit the Burana Tower, write to us!
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