Burana Tower
Бурана мунарасы
An 11th-century minaret at the ruins of Balasagun, the capital of the Kara-Khanid Khanate. Turkic stone figures are scattered across the surrounding grassland, and the Tang-era city of Suyab is nearby.
Burana Tower lies about 80 km east of Bishkek, near Tokmok. It is a remnant of Balasagun, the capital of the Kara-Khanid Khanate in the 10th and 11th centuries. The city was later the site of the Western Liao capital, Ordu-Balik. The brick minaret was originally about 45 metres tall, but it was repeatedly damaged by earthquakes and now stands about 25 metres high. Its brickwork is decorated with geometric patterns. Visitors can climb the narrow, steep spiral staircase inside to the top for views over the Chui Valley and the distant snowy mountains. On the grassland around the tower are more than a hundred balbal stone figures from Turkic peoples of the 6th to 10th centuries, along with rock carvings, several tomb ruins and a small museum. About 8 km away, the Ak-Beshim site is the Tang-era city of Suyab, one of the Four Garrisons of Anxi. It is often linked to the birthplace of Li Bai. It was inscribed as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor” in 2014. Admission costs several hundred som (prices subject to on-site announcement). Getting there: a chartered car from Bishkek takes about 1.5 hours. It can be combined with Suyab and an Issyk-Kul trip. Note: the staircase inside the tower is dark and narrow, so bring a torch. It is not suitable for people with claustrophobia. There is no shade on the grassland.
Opening hours
About 09:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Kegeti Gorge & Waterfall
- Issyk-Ata Hot Springs
- Konorchek Canyons
- Chunkurchak Gorge
- Bishkek Central Mosque (Imam Sarakhsi)
- Victory Square
- Kyrgyz National Opera and Ballet Theatre
- Gapar Aitiev National Museum of Fine Arts