Sights in Karatau Mountains in Mangistau.

"On hot days, the smooth surface of the takyrs, from afar, is so similar to the blue surface of a lake that travelers exhausted by the heat often fell into the deception of this amazing similarity."

A complete geographical description of our Fatherland: a desk and travel book for Russian people. V. 19. "Turkestan Region". V.I. Masalsky. St. Petersburg, 1913.

Trip from Aktau to village of Taushyk.

Mount Danyshpan and cemetery Danyshpan ata is located at an altitude of 192.9 meters above sea level, is located in southern part of Karatau ridge, 1.9 kilometers northwest of Aktau - Kalamkas highway, 5.5 kilometers southeast of village of Taushyk, 26.6 kilometers northwest of village of Zhyngyldy in Tyupkaragan district of Mangistau region. 
Among the drawings of Taras Shevchenko during his stay in Mangyshlak and during the Karatau expedition, there is a drawing called "Auliyetau". During the expedition of Anatoly Kostenko and Esbol Umirbayev in 1972, at the very top of Mount Danyshpan, one could see the remains of destroyed buildings, and around them - traces of a cemetery.
As it was possible to establish, in fact, in the old days there was a mosque here and now there is a small cemetery. The mosque was built by the famous Mullah Danisman, or Dansman, a religious preacher and educator in Mangyshlak, who, like his fellow countryman Khanga baba, came from the Khoja clan.
He founded mosques, small prayer houses in cemeteries and even madrassas - theological schools. For his selfless work and unpretentiousness in life, the Mullah was considered a saint (aulie). That is why the mountain was named so. However, there is another name - Danisman tau, or even simpler - Danisman.
It must be said that many places are associated with this name - at least nine of them are known in the Karatau Mountains. There is such a unique monastery Danisman. An interesting phenomenon is depicted in the drawing by Taras Shevchenko.
From the foot of Mount Aulie Tau there is a plain, bathed in silvery moonlight, which makes it sparkle like the surface of water. In the collected works the description of the drawing is as follows: "The moon illuminates the surface of the lake, created by generous rainwater.
" We also had no doubt about the presence of the lake when we examined the work. But when we arrived at the place, we did not find any traces of the lake. In front of us was a plain with a barely noticeable depression, almost completely bare, with clay-sandy soil covered with salty frost and gypsum dust, that is, takyr. With their ability to create the illusion of water, takyrs often confused inexperienced travelers. 
Geographical coordinates of Mount Danyshpan and cemetery Danyshpan Ata: N44°18'40 E51°24'22

Authority: 
"Steppes Will Come to Life". Anatoly Kostenko, Esbol Umirbaev. Alma-Ata. “Oner.” 1984

Photos by:
Alexander Petrov.