The Burana Minaret stands in the Chu Valley in the north of the country, approximately 80 km east of the capital Bishkek, near the town of Tokmok. This ancient and impressive minaret endures as one of the most remarkable historical sites in Kyrgyzstan and is inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage list. Arguably the most celebrated of all Central Asian minarets, the Burana Minaret is a work of art whose influence has spread far and wide.

A Brief History

Constructed in the 10th and 11th centuries, standing at 45 meters tall, Burana once dominated what was formerly Balasagun, a city now lost to time, founded by the Qarakhanids in the 9th century.

Burana is said to derive from "monar" in Arabic, meaning "minaret." Legend holds that it was built on the orders of a king to house his only daughter, after a prophet predicted her death from the venomous bite of the Karakurt spider (black widow). Despite the father's desperate efforts, the prophecy came to pass, claiming his daughter's life. The tower thus became the mausoleum of the king's daughter.

Over the centuries, numerous earthquakes damaged the structure. In the 1970s, renovation work was undertaken to reinforce the structure and restore the tower's western facade, which was in danger of collapse.

The Burana Minaret

The Burana Minaret has evolved into an open-air historical and architectural complex. The museum collection features genuine masterpieces of medieval sculpture and fine arts dating from the 6th to 10th centuries.

This open-air museum spans 36 hectares, where visitors can observe the remains of mausoleums, petroglyphs dating back to the 2nd century BC, and numerous funerary stelae, known as "Balbals", dating to the Turkish era (6th century).

Before the minaret, you can appreciate the masonry skills of the ancient Qarakhanid artisans.

At its base, the Burana Minaret measures 9.3 meters in diameter and rises with a tapering form, narrowing to just 6 meters in diameter at its summit. The tower's remains were plundered by local populations to construct their own homes. You can, in fact, see photographs of the minaret before its reconstruction in the 1970s in the small museum.

Today, two staircases—one external and one internal—provide access to the tower's summit, which now reaches a height of 25 meters. From there, one can enjoy a lovely view of the Chu Valley and Tokmok. Take time to admire the splendor of the landscape that Burana offers.

At the foot of the minaret, reconstructions of foundations of several ancient mausoleums made of fired brick remain visible. These foundations were discovered in the 1970s.

Further on, you'll discover a collection of "Balbals" dating from the 6th century as well as petroglyphs dating from the 2nd century BC scattered throughout the Chu Valley.

Admission Prices

Entry to the Burana Minaret: 60 som

Entry to the museum: 40 som

A visit to the Burana Minaret can easily be undertaken as a day trip from Bishkek. From Bishkek, you must first pass through the town of Tokmok.

To do so, from Bishkek take a marshrutka (shared minibus) from the western bus station heading to Tokmok. The journey takes approximately two hours and costs around 300 som.

Once you arrive in Tokmok, the best way to reach the Burana Minaret is by taxi. You simply need to negotiate the price, which typically hovers around 300 som.

There are also minibuses that run between Tokmok and Burana.