The city of karakol kyrgyzstan. Tibetan stones in the Tamga gorge. A brief excursion into history

Helpful information for tourists about Karakol in Kyrgyzstan - geographical position, tourism infrastructure, map, architectural features and attractions.

Karakol is the administrative center of the Issyk-Kul region in Kyrgyzstan. IN soviet city time was called Przhevalsk, given in honor of the great Russian scientist and traveler N.M. Przhevalsky. Karakol in translation from the Kyrgyz language means "black hand". The city is located on the Karakol River, 12 km from Issyk-Kul Lake at the foot of mountain range Terskey-Alatoo. Height above sea level 1690-1850 meters.

The city was founded on July 1, 1869 by the captain of the Russian army, Baron Kaulbars, who was instructed to found the city on a rich caravan route from Central Asia in Russia. The city was mainly developed as a trading city, although many industrial enterprises were built here in Soviet times. Today, by order of the government of Kyrgyzstan, Karakol is a free economic zone.

There is a unique Dungar mosque in Karakol. Dungars are Chinese Muslims. The mosque was built in the form of a wooden pagoda without a single nail in the style of the Qing era.

The great Russian scientist and traveler N.P. is buried here. Przhevalsky. The monument is located in a park-reserve 12 km from the city on the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul. It was built in 1894. On a rock built of granite blocks, a proud eagle with outstretched wings rises.

The Orthodox Trinity Cathedral is an architectural monument of the late 19th century, built in the best traditions of pseudo-Russian architectural style, combining the traditions of Russian architecture of the 17th century and the romantic passion for antiquity of the 19th century.

Jety-Oguz ("Seven bulls") resort is located 30 km from Karakol. IN picturesque rocks there are radon thermal springs and a deposit of healing sulfide silt mud. Diseases of the musculoskeletal, nervous, cardiovascular systems and gynecological diseases are treated here.

The Jergalan resort is located 10 km from the city. Here they treat with water of a hot (43 degrees) thermal spring of nitrogen sulfate-chloride sodium water and sulfide silt mud. People with diseases of the musculoskeletal system are being treated.

12 km from Karakol is alpine lake Issyk-Kul. It is included in the list of 25 most big lakes world and is considered the second in the world in terms of water transparency. In the summer months, the water temperature warms up to +24 degrees. There are both equipped and wild beaches with a wide range of beach activities.

Karakol ski base is located 7 km from the city. In Soviet times, it was used to train the USSR Olympic team. In 2004, the base was modernized and now fully complies with the requirements of international standards.

The current Karakol is the fourth largest (65 thousand inhabitants) city of Kyrgyzstan on the eastern shore of Issyk-Kul. One hundred years ago, it was the third largest county town of the Semirechensk region (8.6 thousand inhabitants, after Verny / Alma-Ata and Dzharkent), and surprisingly, its center has remained almost unchanged since then: a large wooden church, merchant houses and shops, two old mosques, a rectangular layout on a slope ... To be honest, Old Karakol is very plain, its architecture cannot stand any comparison with the historical towns of Russia - but this is the best preserved small town of Russian Turkestan, and about the same once looked like Bishkek, Astana, most of the regional centers of Kazakhstan ...

The second part will be about the Soviet and post-Soviet Karakol-Przhevalsk, as well as about its Muslim heritage of the county era. For now, just walk around the old town.

Here it is necessary to make a reservation that calling the county part of Karakol "Old Przhevalsk" is not entirely correct - yes, it was built on 9/10 when the city was Przhevalsk, but in general both of its names are equivalent. Founded in 1869 by a colonel as Karakol (which means "Black Hand" along the nearest river), 20 years later the city was renamed in honor of Przhevalsky, who died here at the beginning of another expedition. Such renaming in honor of heroes for the Russian Empire was very uncharacteristic and most often found precisely in Turkestan: in 1914-24 it was called, the current Fergana in 1910-24 - Skobelev, that is, Przhevalsk was also the first similar case. In 1922, the old name was returned to the city, which lasted until 1939, when it again became Przhevalsky. Judging by the fact that again and apparently for good it became Karakol in 1992, the Kyrgyz still hesitated with this renaming. Could, in my opinion, and leave ...

In 1897, in the county Przhevalsk, there were 36% of the population of Russians, another 27% were Sarts (Uzbeks, the main population of Central Asian cities), 17% were Kyrgyz (against 0% in Pishpek), 11% were Chinese (probably Dungans), 7% - Tatars. In the current Karakol, there are 69% of Kyrgyz, 3% of Uighurs and Uzbeks, 1.5% of Tatars and Dungans, and Russians - as much as 18%, more only in Bishkek. So around the Trinity Church, dominants county town, and to this day lively:

In 1932 the church was closed under the Palace of Culture and beheaded, in 1947 it was reopened, but then the community was able to restore only the main dome - the side cupolas and the belfry are only replicas. In 1961 - again closed for a gym, in 1986 they began to restore under local history museum(as in Alma-Ata), and in 1995 it was finally finally returned to the parishioners. But it’s good that they didn’t demolish it at all - let’s say, it preserved ordinary buildings no worse, but the one that lost the church does not look so solid at all. Temples in a foreign land are not so much a place of worship as a marker of identity.

Details that are so appropriate in the exotic Semirechye:

Around the church - in fact a small park behind a fence, part of which is occupied Apple orchard. As in many other Central Asian churches, local Russians go here just for a walk - somewhere children play, somewhere old women sit on a bench ... But a group comes into the temple foreign tourists: the current Karakol is very popular with them. (All this, of course, is not an explanation for the photo). Read more about Trinity Church at hair_t .

House opposite... No specific information about most architectural monuments I did not find it, and is it really needed? The house of a merchant so-and-so, the house of a petty-bourgeois woman ... There could have been a government or some kind of gymnasium. Or, for example, the Russian-Kyrgyz school.

Then I went around the circle. Well preserved in Karakol, only half historical center, and the church stands at the very bottom of the "solid" part of it. I went up the shady, unkempt streets ... or rather, along the local Lenin street:

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The architecture is very recognizable - such whitewashed adobe houses with carved platbands and shutters in Central Asia come across in the most different places: adobe in local climate, apparently, it is more convenient than a tree, and more accessible. And in some places - duvals and darvaz (fences - "walls" and high decorated gates), in those days the thing was absolutely not superfluous:

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Come across in the Old Town, of course, interspersed with the twentieth century, mostly in my opinion schools - but rarely:

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The most luxurious house is higher up the same street. Again, I don’t know what it is - in the museum of local lore it is marked as “The first folk library-reading room, opened in 1902”, but for a county town on the periphery of the empire it sounds clearly implausible. Rather, it was the mayor's house, or the county government, or another gymnasium, but the library was already with him.

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View from the yard:

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The locals near the church told me the following story: there were two merchant brothers in Przhevalsk, one of whom was also the mayor, and they lived in the same house opposite the church (frame No. 8). Then they quarreled, and the one who settled higher along Lenin erected for himself the most luxurious mansions in the city in order to get rid of his brother.

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Above, in the same block, there is another Soviet building (looks like a pioneer house) with a monument to Tchaikovsky:

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But these houses still prevail here:

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Another, it seems, school:

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The uppermost (of the seen) more or less remarkable county house:

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Modern architecture:

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Another Soviet blotch:

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Above, the buildings are thinning and crumbling, and I decided not to go further. The Przhevalsky Peak (4273m) dominates the city, which we will see close up in one of the following posts.

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I went down a parallel street, the name of which is even more virginal-Soviet - Dzerzhinsky:

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Russian people:

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Kyrgyz people:

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Russian houses:

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The Soviet school - why are they here in such a concentration ?!

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My mood here somehow vaguely and imperceptibly deteriorated. No, of course, the photographs do not convey how worse Russian regional centers are here, but take my word for it - worse, and much more. I and the rest of Kyrgyzstan remember Karakol as the most neglected and uncomfortable regional center after, and among these houses, built by a completely different civilization, the devastation is triple noticeable. Most likely, the Finns look at Vyborg in the same way, and the Germans look at Sovetsk and Chernyakhovsk ...

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wanted to turn to central park named after Pushkin, but for some reason changed his mind. In the lane - Stalin's low-rise buildings:

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In which a Kyrgyz boy of about 15 years old, who knew just a few words in Russian, became extremely obsessively attached to me. I don’t know what he wants - he followed me with his tail, tried to speak, watched with interest how I photographed; he asked the store to buy him juice (and I would have bought it, but there was no juice in the store). Then another boy materialized nearby, just as intrusive, and after saying hello, he tried to hug me. Innate tact did not allow me to send them rudely (as well as the fear that they would suddenly call someone more powerful and start calling for accountability), so I hid from them in the local history museum, which occupies a pretty merchant's house:

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But the museum turned out to be quite small, although not without interest (one frame from here still got into) - nevertheless main museum Issyk-Kul region is located in the resort. The kids followed me, and the cashier put them out. We stood on the porch, waited a few minutes, and left. According to the cashier, today is just a market day, people have come in large numbers from the villages, and these children have parents in the market or in the mosque, and they run around the city and toil as they want, including begging for money from tourists.
Opposite is another merchant's house with malls, and between them - the Merchant Passage captured on the introductory frame with a cobblestone pavement only one block long:

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The "horizontal" street of Toktogul passing below serves as a border of the Old City - below it spreads into separate houses among the Soviet and I don't understand what building, which is much more typical for Central Asia. As I understand it, there were Muslim settlements.

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I took a few more shots from Toktogul Street at dawn, when we went to the minibus either to Jety-Oguz (with a return on the same day), or to Tamga (further along the route). Russian houses look amazing against the backdrop of icy mountains:

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Here, with a dovecote on the roof - maybe a post office, or maybe a military headquarters, because then pigeons were kept not for beauty, but as a postal service.

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Some abandoned industrial zone:

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And at least a little smoothing this seal of decline and oblivion of the mountains, so eternal and renounced. On the one hand - the shady Terskey Ala-Too:

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On the other hand, Kungei Ala-Too illuminated by dawn on the northern shore of Issyk-Kul left behind:

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In the next part, as already mentioned, about Soviet and old Muslim Karakol.

The Barskoon gorge, located in the Terskey Ala-Too mountains, Kyrgyzstan, is famous for its waterfalls and gold-bearing rivers. Located on the southern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul, in the floodplain of the Barskoon River, the gorge has a length of about 10 kilometers.

by the most famous waterfalls Barskaun Gorges are the waterfalls "Aksakal's Beard", "Leopard's Tears" and "Champagne Splashes". A special attraction of the gorge is the monument to Yu.A. Gagarin, located in its middle part, not far from the Tamga sanatorium, where the first cosmonaut liked to relax. A route to the Kumtor Pass passes through the gorge, where gold is mined today.

Suek Pass

The Suek Pass, in Kyrgyzstan, is located 150 kilometers from Karakol, on the southern spurs of the Karamoinok ridge. To get to it, after the Kok-Moinok pass (height 3.442 meters), make your way through the Barskaun gorge and move along the Arabel valley.

And now, among the talus and boulders, along a gloomy gorge, a steep ascent leads to the pass. Maximum point lift by car - 4.200 meters above sea level, but on foot you can reach a height of 4.600 meters.

These places were chosen by freeriders - more convenient approaches on skins, higher mountains and gentle slopes, in contrast to the mountains of the Barsakun Valley.

Remarkably, Suek in translation from Turkic means bone, although some clarify the translation as “bone of the dead”, and there are those who believe that the name comes from the word “cold”.

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Peak Khan-Tengri

Khan Tengri Peak is one of the most high mountains Tien Shan. The height of the peak is just over seven thousand meters.

The name of the mountain in translation into Russian means "Lord of the sky." The first scientific information was obtained thanks to the famous Russian traveler P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky. The first ascent was made by Ukrainian climbers in 1931. To date, about ten routes have been developed. The ascent usually takes about fourteen days. Routes are divided into two parts - with south side and from the north. Route No. 1, which starts from the south, from the Semenovsky glacier, is considered the safest. It is constantly monitored by rescue guides.

The view of the Khan-Tengri peak is the most colorful and picturesque. It is especially beautiful during sunset, when all the mountains are already plunged into darkness, and the top of the peak turns red.

Ala-Kul (Ala-Kol, Alakul, Alakel) is a lake in the Terskey-Alatau region, in the Central Tien Shan.

The name in Kyrgyz is translated as "Motley Lake".

It is located in the upper reaches of the Kurgaktor River, the right tributary of the Karakol, at an altitude of 3532 meters. The lake has glacial origin: glacier after retreat and now occupies the upper part of the valley. There are no islands in the lake. Length coastline- 6.8 kilometers.

This is perhaps one of the most beautiful places in the Terskey-Alatau region. You can get to it either from below, or through one of the simple passes through the rocky ridges surrounding the lake. There are no roads to the lake, so you need to get to the lake on foot or on horseback.

Hot Springs Altyn-Arashan"

The hot springs of Altyn-Arashan are located in the gorge and valley of the Arashan River, 10 km from Karakol, near the village of Ak-Suu. Altyn-Arashan means “golden healing springs”. The water temperature in the weakly radon spring is about 50 degrees. The place is extremely picturesque, however, like any corner of Kyrgyzstan.

The path to the Arashan gorge starts from the city of Karakol, from which you need to get to the village of Teploklyuchenka and then up into the mountains. You can get there faster by north coast Issyk-Kul, but traveling along the southern coast you can admire the beauties of pristine nature. On the way you can visit dead lake Kara-Kel - analogue dead sea in Israel, stop at Barskoon Gorge and see beautiful waterfall and visit famous resort Jeti-Oguz.

Hot springs of Altyn-Arashan are amazing place, where springs with different composition of water and temperature beat out of the ground in a small area. In a hydrogen sulfide source, the water temperature reaches +41, in a radon source +32. You can swim in them all year round. healing water treats diseases of the digestive system, joints, liver, kidneys, heart. Pools with springs are made of stone. Although many wells are made by human hands, there are also wild ones located along the river. The thermal springs here are different in shape - there is a spring in the shape of a heart, a grotto and bird home. The spring water contains radon and is used in the treatment of diseases of the nervous system.

Ski resort "Karakol"

ski resort"Karakol" is located at an altitude of 2300 meters above sea level - on the slopes of the Tien Shan, 7 kilometers from the city of Karakol (Issyk-Kul region). "Karakol" has tracks of various difficulty levels, so it is suitable for both professionals skiing, and for beginners who are just getting ready to start skiing.

lifting height cable car is 2500 meters. Opening ski season usually scheduled for November, the season lasts until April. During all this time there is no reason to worry about the condition of the track - there is a lot of snow, it covers the ground with a dense layer, the thickness of which varies from 1.5 to 2.5 meters. Ski base "Karakol" is open all year round. Five rope-towing lifts with a stationary telescopic yoke serve the slopes of the track. Moreover, the highest point is at an altitude of 3040, and the height difference is 800 meters. Yes, and freeride lovers have where to roam - there are many slopes around, covered with virgin snow, ideal for extreme sports. In addition, you can just admire the magnificent panorama of Lake Issyk-Kul - the second size mountain lake in the world.

For beginners who have not yet had time to purchase their own equipment, there is a rental point on the territory of the complex, where Rossignol ski equipment will be individually selected for you. And experienced instructors will always help and teach you the first skills of skiing skiing.

Tibetan stones in the Tamga gorge"

The Tamga Gorge is located on the southern coast of Issyk-Kul, not far from the village of the same name Tamga. In the gorge there are 3 stones, 1 km apart from each other, with Tibetan rock texts.

The nearest stone is located two kilometers from the village of Tamga, popularly called "Tamga-Tash" (a stone with a brand). The stone lies on a high, flat area, near an old path that runs along the banks of the Tamga River. It is covered with vegetation and can only be seen at close range. The Buddhist mantra "Om mani padme hum" is engraved on it, a kind of prayer that can be used under any circumstances. The letters are carved in a strict monumental style. Around the letters, the surface of the stone was cut down, thanks to which they became relief-volumetric. The inscription on the stone dates back to the Dzungarian (Kalmyk) period (XV-XVII centuries).

The literal translation of the mantra "Oh! A pearl in a lotus flower”, but it is rarely understood in this sense. It is quite remarkable that this stone was used for ritual purposes long before the advent of Buddhism. The inscription on the third Tamga-tash represents a stylized sign OM. This inscription is the same age as the inscription on the first stone. OM (or aum) is a sound that is an important sound in almost all traditional cultures of mankind. Tamga-Tash is the most famous of the three stones. Tamga-Tash stones, of course, are not only historical monument. Therefore, visiting these stones requires a conscious attitude.

Karakol Gorge

The Karakol gorge is located in the Terskey Ala-Too ridge, 400 km from Bishkek, near the city of Karakol.

The slopes of the Karakol gorge and the banks of the Karakol River, with tributaries in the middle mountains, are covered with thickets of sea buckthorn, barberry, wild rose and tala against the background of the emerald green of steppe meadows. Diversity flora in the Karakol gorge, numerous forms of the animal world are determined. Of the largest and most interesting animals in the Karakol Gorge, there are: ibexes, roe deer, lynxes, wild boars, snow leopards, wolves, bears. In the highlands, golden eagles, bearded vultures and griffon vultures nest. Many mountains are concentrated in this zone, which direct their peaks beyond the snow line. The most popular peaks are Karakol Peak-5280 meters and Dzhigit Peak-5176 meters.

The slopes of the right tributary of the Kashka-Suu, where a ski base was built for all vacationers and skiers, is widely used for development winter views recreation and sports. This contributes highway, laid to the climber's base. Here you can see the complex of cascades of waterfalls, moraine glacial lake Ala-Kel, located at an altitude of 3532 meters and Karakol Lake, at the tongue of the glacier in the On-Tor gorge.

Burana Tower

Burana Tower - a monument cultural heritage of the Kyrgyz people and part of the archaeological and architectural museum of Kyrgyzstan, is the Minaret of the Buraninsky settlement and is one of the ancient buildings in Central Asia. It is located 12 km southwest of the Kyrgyz city of Tokmak, on the road to the Kegety Gorge, the Kyrgyz Range, on the left bank of the Chu River. The original height of the tower, built in the 10th-11th century, was at least 40 meters, but the upper part was destroyed by an earthquake. At present, the height of the tower is 21.7 meters.

Studies of the Burana settlement, and with it the minaret, were started by Russian scientists and local historians as early as the middle of the 19th century. In the first years of Soviet power, a number of measures were taken to preserve the Burana tower and the archaeological study of the settlement. material. As a result of research, for the first time it was possible to establish that the settlement has a complex layout and consists of central ruins, represented by a quadrangular fortress, on huge area outside of it.

In 1970-1974 special scientific and restoration workshops of the Ministry of Culture of the Kyrgyz SSR under the project of B.V. Pomaskin carried out the restoration of the Burana tower. During five years of work, the destroyed places were restored along the entire surviving height of the tower, the octagonal base was rebuilt, and a staircase was built on the south side to climb the minaret.

Dzhety-Oguz rocks

Jety-Oguz rocks, translated from Kyrgyz as “Seven bulls”, are located in Kyrgyzstan, 28 kilometers west of the city Karakol. The rocks form a picturesque gorge leading to the southern shore of Lake Issyk.

The main attraction of the gorge is a chain of red rocks, shaped like bulls. These rocks gave the name to the gorge, as well as to the river flowing through it.

In the gorge, in the immediate vicinity of the rocks, there is a resort of the same name, famous for its thermal springs. Since ancient times, these springs have been known far beyond the borders of the surrounding areas. During the melting season, streams of water flow down the slopes of the rocks. In autumn, the water freezes, presenting to the eye amazing beauty frozen waterfalls.

The Jety-Oguz resort and the surrounding area are popular with travelers visiting these places. Here you can order a ride on horseback or take a walk among the rocks and pine forests.

The most popular attractions in Karakol with descriptions and photos for every taste. Choose the best places to visit famous places Karakol on our website.

Karakol is the capital of the Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan and the most Big city on the shores of the lake (about 65 thousand inhabitants). The city is located near the eastern shore of Issyk-Kul and was founded by staff captain Kulbars in 1869, shortly after Kyrgyzstan joined the Russian Empire, as a military-administrative center on the caravan road between the valley of the Chu River and Kashgaria, historical area in the east of China.

The city changed its name several times - therefore, it is already quite difficult to say which of the two names of the city is historical. The original name was Karakol - after the name of the river on which it was founded. In 1889, the famous Russian traveler N.M. died in Karakol during his fifth expedition. Przhevalsky - after his death, by order of the king, Karakol was renamed Przhevalsk. After the revolution, it was renamed back, and in the period from 1922 to 1939, the city was again called Karakol, and in 1939, in honor of the centenary of the birth of Przhevalsky, the city was renamed Przhevalsk for the second time. But this renaming was not the last - in 1992, after the collapse of the USSR, it was again renamed Karakol, for the third time. Thus, for 145 years of its history, the city was called Karakol three times (for a total of 59 years) and twice - Przhevalsky (for 86 years). In other words, about the same. :)

Karakol-Przhevalsk was founded by the Russian military, it was originally built as new town in the newly annexed territories of the Russian Empire - therefore, the influence of Russian culture is felt here much more than in other settlements of Issyk-Kul. Although over time the cultures of different peoples living on the shores of Issyk-Kul strangely mixed up - and the ancient Orthodox Church here it adjoins Dungan mosques of approximately the same historical period, and memorable places Przhevalsky - with places associated with the historical ethnic groups of these lands. Seryoga and I spent a little time in Karakol - that day we were driving a car along big ring around Issyk-Kul, and stopped here for lunch (Karakol is exactly the border between northern and southern shores Issyk-Kul). It is impossible to cover everything during a short one-hour parking - therefore, we mainly saw three images of Karakol - the current appearance, the Soviet appearance, plus the historical Russian buildings of the oldest part of the city, to which we paid special attention.

1. Tagay-Biy or Mohammed-Kyrgyz (1469-1533) is considered today one of the founders of the Kirghiz, their historical supreme ruler and the founder of the ancient Kyrgyz statehood. The region that was then under his control was called the "Kyrgyz ulus". A monument to him is erected in a park in the center of Karakol.

2. And now let's move on to the old Russian building of the city. One of the main attractions of Karakol-Przhevalsk is the wooden Cathedral of the Holy Trinity of the late 19th century.

5. Such Karakol today is ordinary city streets.

7. Monument to the famous Kyrgyz poet and scientist Kasyn Tynystanov and linguist Kussein Karasaev - famous figures of Kyrgyz culture and science in the 20th century.

8. The main facade of the City University.

9. Honorary residents of the city.

10. A little aside, Vladimir Ilyich stands inconspicuously.

11. Several photographs of Soviet buildings.

14. One of the central squares.

15. A monument dedicated to the founding of the city - depicting the shape of Lake Issyk-Kul and the date of foundation in Kyrgyz and Russian. And the former name Przhevalsk was carefully corrected for the current name. :)

17. Yusup Abdrakhmanov - Soviet statesman and politician, first chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Kirghiz SSR. He was repressed in 1938.

18. A monument to Yusup Abdrakhmanov was erected opposite the administration of the Issyk-Kul region.

20. Walking the streets ... Kindergarten.

21. Memorial to the heroes of the Great Patriotic War- In Kyrgyzstan, all war memorials are well maintained and maintained in good condition. Nice!

27. And in conclusion - probably the most vivid impression of Karakol: the preserved old Russian buildings of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Old Karakol (or Przhevalsk - to whom it is closer) reminds at the same time somewhere of the Crimea, and the Don and Kuban villages - in a word, a typical southern Russian city on the banks of Issyk-Kul. Summer is hot, but the air filled with aromas of pine needles and herbs is dry and you feel very comfortable. Tall poplars, white houses with carved blue architraves - this is how I remember historical appearance Karakol.

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Karakol is located on the territory in the eastern part of the Issyk-Kul region. The city is her administrative center and is located at the foot of the Terskey-Alatoo ridge, at an altitude of about 1700 meters above sea level. This region has excellent natural landscapes and every year hosts lovers mountain climbing, as well as just tourists who come here to go trekking or relax in the local balneological resorts.

Peculiarities

Hidden among the majestic mountain ranges of the Central Tien Shan, the city is located at a significant distance from major settlements and serves as a kind of distribution center for numerous fans active rest who annually visit the Issyk-Kul region. At the moment, food, light and processing industries, mechanical engineering, as well as the production of building materials are well developed in Karakol. Along with tourism, this brings considerable income to the city treasury. In addition to industrial enterprises, the city has educational, administrative and cultural institutions, as well as cozy hotels, restaurants, shops and shopping centers. In respect of excursion program the capital of the region is also of considerable interest, although there are few attractions directly within the city limits. The ethnic composition is formed from the Kyrgyz, Russians, Uighurs, Uzbeks, Tatars, Kazakhs, Kalmyks and Dungans.

general information

The territory of Karakol covers an area of 48 sq. km, with a population of just over 63 thousand people. Local time ahead of Moscow by 3 hours. Time zone UTC+6. On summer time Kyrgyzstan does not pass. Telephone code(+996) 3922. Official site www.karakol.name.

A brief excursion into history

Karakol was founded in 1869 on the banks of the river of the same name as a military and administrative center on the caravan road from the Chui valley to Kashgaria. Initially, during construction, adobe houses were preferred here, but after the earthquake of 1887, they began to build wooden houses with graceful porches, decorated with artistic carvings. Special attention paid green spaces, which contributed to the image of the garden city. During its existence, Karakol was twice renamed Przhevalsk, in honor of famous traveler N. M. Przhevalsky, who died here from typhoid fever, but in both cases, he regained his former name. In those days, the city often became a place of stay for many scientists and researchers who started their expeditions to Central Asia from here. The first industrial enterprises appeared in the city at the beginning of the 20th century, marking further way to development. In the Soviet era, Karakol was not marked by any remarkable events and developed at a slow pace, changing only some time after the collapse of the USSR, becoming a large industrial center independent Kyrgyzstan.

Climate

The city has a temperate continental climate, which is significantly influenced by mountains. Rainfall here is low, although winters tend to be snowy. The average air temperature from December to February fluctuates around -7 degrees, and in summer it sometimes rises to +30. You can visit the capital of the Issyk-Kul region throughout the year. In the summer months, you can go mountain climbing in its vicinity, and skiing from the mountain slopes in winter.

How to get there

nearest railroad station is located 220 km from Karakol, in the town of Balykchy. From there you can take a taxi to the place. From, located 400 km away, direct transport to the regional capital runs great, landing from the bus station in Bishkek. Shuttle taxis are constantly sent for 14-18 seats, the fare is about 6 US dollars.

Transport

Buses run within the city limits.

Attractions and entertainment

One of the most beautiful places in Karakol is the park-reserve, which houses memorial Complex with the grave of N. M. Przhevalsky. From here you can enjoy fabulous views of the Issyk-Kul Lake, flaunting at a distance of about 12 km from the city and magnificent Mountain peaks. Among architectural structures The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, which is considered a classic example of Russian Orthodox architecture of the 19th century, deserves special attention. The Dungan mosque, built of wood and without the use of nails, looks no less attractive. For curious tourists big interest presents the Museum of Local Lore, which houses an exhibition of exhibits that allows you to get to know the culture of the Kyrgyz, the history of this people and its traditions.

Quite an impressive number of winter sports enthusiasts come here from November to April to visit ski resort"Karakol", in the Kashka-Suu gorge, which has excellent conditions for winter holiday and modern trails for skiing. Much attention is paid to such balneological resorts areas like Jety-Oguz, Zhili-Su and Jergalan. Just 190 km from Karakol, in the spurs of the Tien Shan, there is a picturesque glacial lake Mörzbacher, from which trekking routes begin to the majestic Khan Tengri peak, on the border, and.

Kitchen

Restaurants, cafes and eateries of the city offer their guests a wide selection of all kinds of dishes, from deli meats and fish to fresh vegetables and fruits.

shopping

A diverse range of goods is displayed on the shelves of local shops, markets and trade shops, allowing you to purchase inexpensive clothes, shoes, ceramics, jewelry, cosmetics, souvenirs and much more.

Despite the fact that Karakol is a remote city and not very convenient in terms of transport accessibility, it is quite well known in post-Soviet space and annually enjoys the attention of thousands of travel lovers who come to the Issyk-Kul region to enjoy its beauties.