Koshkar-Ata Necropolis
Қошқар-Ата
A large cemetery near Aktau where traditional carved stone tombstones sit alongside modern domed mausoleums, forming a “city of the dead.”
Koshkar-Ata Necropolis lies about 15 km north of Aktau and is named after the saint Koshkar-Ata. Spanning several centuries, it contains finely carved ancient stelae, stone sarcophagi and small mausoleums, as well as numerous modern domed tombs built of white limestone that from a distance look like a city. It is an easy place to learn about Mangystau's funerary customs and stone-carving art without a long off-road journey. Please keep quiet and do not step on the graves.
Opening hours
Daytime
Nearby sights
- Aktau Caspian Embankment
- Mangystau Regional Museum of History and Local Lore
- Aktau Lighthouse
- Shakpak-Ata Underground Mosque
- Sultan-Epe
- Torysh Valley of Balls
- Karagiye Depression
- Sherkala Mountain