Tourist trips on excavation of ancient settlement Otrar.

"Otrar is mentioned in the road sketches of almost all Arabic and Persian authors who had ever visited this region. Otrar is the native town of one of the greatest Oriental philosophers – Abu Nasr Al-Farabi (870-950)"

Tours across Southern Kazakhstan area.

Ancient Otrar (Farab), which appeared in VIII century and existed around 2 thousand years, occupied the territory of 200 ha on the right bank of Arys River. Population of Otrar was dealing with irrigated agriculture.
The town had powerful fortification able to resist any siege of any enemy. Already in XIV century in Otrar people constructed the mausoleum of Arystanbab, the second significant historical and architectural monument in South Kaakhstan after Yassaui Mausoleum.
Otrar was attracting the attention thanks to its good location. It was on the junction point of ancient caravan paths. It was one of the richest and most developed towns on the Great Silk Road section in Central Asia.
Otrar is mentioned in the road sketches of almost all Arabic and Persian authors who had ever visited this region. Otrar is the native town of one of the greatest Oriental philosophers – Abu Nasr Al-Farabi (870-950).
In 1219 Otrar was attacked by the Mongolian troops of Ginghiskhan. For six months the citizens of the town were heroically defending their town but after six months because of the treason Otrar was seized by the enemy, destroyed and burnt.  
After that Otrar was under the nomad Uzbeks and the rulers of Gold Horde. Then it was under the command of Timur who ordered to construct the mausoleum over the grave of Khodzha Akhment Yassaui. In 2001 - 2004 in South Kazakhstan there was a UNESCO project for preservation and restoration of the ancient town of Otrar.
First excavation works in Otrar were carried out in 1969. That time archaeologists saw a grandiose picture of ancient brick ruins including the palace, mosques and saunas.When you walk around the ancient town of Otrar, you will feel that the thousand-year old history lies under your feet.
Your every step raises the dust and opens the historical pages of the greatest and famous town of the past - Otrar. Although it is hard to imagine the former magnificence of one of the most developed Central Asian centres in the past, today you have a real chance to see with your own eyes the ruins of the town and think over the historical paradoxes.

Authority:
«Monuments of the Central Asia». The author of M. Khahsimov. Publishing house,  Saga, 2001. Samarkand. «Masterpieces of the Central Asia», Tashkent, Publishing house Sanat, 2004. www.farsah.kz. «Ancient Kazakhstan» Arias, Saki, Hun, Turkis.

Photos
Alexander Petrov.