The Burana Tower is a minaret in the Chüy Valley, northern Kyrgyzstan.
When built the tower was an impressive 148 ft high. However, over time a number of earthquakes caused significant damage to the structure. In the 15th C a major earthquake destroyed the top half which reduced it to the current height of 82ft.
The ancient city of Balasagun, founded in the 9th C by the Karakhanids, a once thriving capital city along the Silk Route through Asia, now all that remains is the 11th C tower, one of the oldest architectural constructions in Central Asia and a few grave markers.
In the 1970's renovation was carried out to restore the foundation and undertake other repairs to prevent a collapse of the structure. In 2014 it became a world Heritage Site.
Climbing the tight narrow spiral stone staircase to a gallery for some half decent views.
The city of Tokmok and the Ala-Too mountain range.
A scattering of Balbals, gravestones of soldiers from the 6th century.
A story is told about the tower. A daughter was born to a powerful ruler who celebrated the occasion by inviting many fortune tellers and wise man from the country to forecast what the future would hold for his daughter.
One said that his daughter would die from a spider bite on her sixteenth birthday.
To protect her, he built a tall tower for her daughter to live in, alone. Servants brought her food, delivering by climbing a ladder that was put against the tower.
Every precaution was taken to make sure no spider would be able to get in the tower.
Her sixteenth birthday arrived and the ruler celebrated her birthday by bringing a basket of fruits for her.
He though, had failed to see a poisonous spider in the basket. As his daughter reached for a fruit, the spider bit her and killed her.
Her father was so distraught that he cried so loudly, part of the tower crumbled and collapsed.
As believable as any religious writing.
Landscapes
Leaving the tower behind it was a few hours drive travelling through the Chon-Kemin Valley National Park, a state protected area, to an overnight stop in Tar-Suu.
The Chon-Kemin Gorge itself is about 70 miles long, rising in the Tian Shan mountains between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan
The Chon-kemin river carves its way through the land until it eventually flows into the Chu river.
An overnight stop at this fine little guest house, in Tar-Suu right smack bang in the middle of nowhere, if you are in the area, I highly recommend it, great place to unwind after a day on the road. Not much to do well actually nothing to do the population is under 700 and they are spread out across the countryside
Just kick back relax and enjoy the views.
No one likes a show off.
A great sunset behind the mountains
With several bottles of the local beer.
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