Karakol, formerly Przhevalsk, is the fourth-largest city in Kyrgyzstan, near the eastern tip of Lake Issyk-Kul, about 380 kilometres from the capital Bishkek. It is the administrative capital of Issyk-Kul Region.
A Russian military outpost founded on 1 July 1869, Karakol grew in the 19th century after explorers came to map the peaks and valleys separating Kyrgyzstan from China. In the 1880s Karakol's population surged with an influx of Dungans, Chinese Muslims fleeing warfare in China. In 1888, the Russian explorer Nikolay Przhevalsky died in Karakol of typhoid, while preparing for an expedition to Tibet; the city was renamed Przhevalsk in his honor.
First, you see Dungan Mosque - it was built for the local Dungan community through an initiative of Ibrahim Aji in the early 20th century. Aji commissioned the famed Beijing architect Chou Seu, along with 20 workers with building the mosque. Construction of the mosque began in 1904, lasting through 1910. Ingenious techniques allowed the builders to construct the mosque without using nails. The building holds 42 based pillars; encircling the building is a multi-tiered wooden cornice, decorated with botanical and natural images such as grapes, pomegranates, pears and peaches. From 1929 to 1947 (during the Soviet era), the mosque was used mainly as a storehouse. In 1947, the building was given to the city’s Muslim community, from whence it has continued to function as a mosque ever since. Locals there are not friendly and tried to screw me with money convincing me they are the ticket office worker. So, I did couple of pictures and didn't step inside.
Then, the route goes through residential area and market outskirts.
Interesting detail - there's an antique shop in the center of the city, sadly, closed.
Merhcant Rafikov's House decorated by disnosaur head is another historical building, now a hotel "Neophyte" is a traditional town house (late XIX - early XX centuries) with double corner semi-columns, built in 1906. Rafikov traded manufactured goods, fur goods, wool, hair, bristles, tea, sugar. Since 1921 it was a Karakol district-city executive committee, since 1925 the building was rented out to tenants under housing committee orders.
Merchant Karimov built a very thorough red brick building and local legend says he added some eggs into the mix to make it stronger. In 1905 it became a local bank and they say there are 2 metal safe deposits still in the basement. Today it's the Issyk-Kul Regional Department of State Statistics of the National Statistical Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic building.
Karakol Historical Museum is truly a gem of museums - it is cozy, but filled with all kinds of artefacts. It was the pre-revolutionary summer home of the Ilyin merchant and cattle dealer family. During the turbulent years of 1918-20 the building earned its socialist stripes as headquarters of the Regional Revolutionary Committee, and was subsequently transformed into a museum by order of the Soviet Council of Ministers in 1948.
Pushkin park was founded in 1895 and named after the governor of the city at that time, Nikolai Barsov. It was later renamed in honor of the Russian literary genius and writer Alexander Pushkin. There is a monument of the poet greeting you at the entrance.
This building is an example of Soviet Constructivism with its with its strict forms and volumes, built as a school of the future it became nowadays an innovative gymnasium named after Aldayar uulu Moit Ake.
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00:01 - Dungan Mosque
18:29 - Antique shop
17:45 - Merchant Rafikov's House
19:47 - Merchant Karimov's House
20:49 - Karakol Historical Museum
27:53 - Pushkin Park
30:33 - School #1
18 сен 2024
