Unique Tash-Rabat

Tash-Rabat is a caravanserai,a kind of hotel on the ancient Silk Road in the At-Bashinsky district of the Naryn region in Kyrgyzstan. The facility is located on the banks of the meandering Tash-Rabat River, a tributary of the Kara-Koyun River, at an altitude of over 3,500 meters above sea level.

Tash-Rabat was built in the 15th century on the site of an older monastery of the 9-10th centuries. There are two versions of its foundation: the first is that the fortress was founded by a khan who wanted to protect trade caravans from robbers and at the same time contribute to the development of the country. According to another version, Tash-Rabat was a monastery and served as a home for Nestorian monks. Others argue (and there is written evidence for this) that this fortress was built by Muhammad Khan – one of the rulers of Moghulistan, a Turkic-Mongol state that was formed after the collapse of the empire of Genghis Khan.

With the spread of Islam in Central Asia, the monastery began to decline. However, the proximity to the Great Silk Road turned the monastery into a caravanserai.

It is believed that Tash-Rabat was a key point when crossing the Tien Shan, since it not only served as a shelter for merchants, but also served as a fortification from robbers. Through Tash-Rabat, trade caravans went to the cities of the Fergana Valley.

Tash-Rabat is the only structure of its kind on the territory of the country. It has a square shape, the length of the sides is 33.7 and 35.7 meters. From the inside, it is a long corridor, from which rooms depart in different directions, the corridor leads to the central hall, where small holes are cut on the ceiling, where daylight enters. All other rooms are plunged into darkness. In one of the rooms, barely noticeable in the corner, there are two zindans (recesses in the ground for prisoners), and one of them is deeper and narrower than the second.

There are yurt camps nearby.

Tash Rabat, which means “stone courtyard”, offers breathtaking views and is set amidst awe-inspiring landscapes similar to Tibet.

In addition to exploring the structure of Tash-Rabat, you can get acquainted with the nomadic way of life of local residents. Local jailoo (summer pasture) are usually overcrowded with livestock, including yaks, cows, horses, and sheep.