KAZYGURT
Legendary place (40 km off Shymkent) is located in Talas valley of Alatau (western ridge ot the Tien-Shan mountains). People tell about 50 legends of the sanctity of this mountain. People believe it to be the place where Noah's ark landed. Locals call it the «Kerne Kalgan» (place of the Ark of Noah). Surprisingly, the dimensions of the «local Ark» are the same as in the description in one of the sacred sources, the length of the ark is three hundred cubits (150 m), its width is fifty cubits (25 m), and its height is thirty cubits (15 m).
The mountain has the second sight, where another mystical thing was found - an equilateral cross made of stone. There are several theories about the origin of this unusual «sign». Some researchers attribute this to Zarathustra. The huge stone cross was probably made by Zoroaster followers for performing Zoroastrians rituals.
According to other versions, such crosses were the signs sent by Tengri, the god of the sky that had been made centuries before the advent of Christianity in the Altai, which was the ancient home of the Turks.
There are many other stories of the unusual properties of this place. Holy Akbera Ata lived at the base of the Kazygurt mound. He called upon the people to believe in one God. He treated them with herbs, prophesied, and had other supernatural powers.
Shilter Ata, a natural complex, is also on the list of holy places. Ata-ana Rock symbolizes Adam and Eve, parents of the human race. Two stones of 33 meters high have a passage between them letting through only a pious person. In Shilter - ata there are stone statues of animals described in the holy books.
33 archaeological sites were found in the Kazygurt Mountains and their surroundings. Most are located in the upper estuary of the Keles River and its tributaries. The Great Silk Road passed through Kazygurt. The shortest routes to Uzbekistan, ancient Tashkent, Bukhara, Khiva and Samarkand start from here. The 3 000-year-old Sairam (Ispidzhab) is located 20-30 km from the Kazygurt mound.
The unusual underground construction was found in Sairam (VI-VIII centuries).
The nature in this region is very rich and luxurious. Nearby is one of the first nature reserves in Kazakhstan - Aksu Zhabagly.
This place is a symbol of unity and spiritual revival of nations.
ANCIENT OTRAR
Ancient Otrar (Farab), which appeared in the VIII century and lasted for about two thousand years, covered the area of 200 hectares on the right bank of the Arys River. The population of Otrar was engaged in irrigated agriculture. The city had a strong fortification, able to withstand the siege of any enemy. In XIV century in Otrar, Arystanbab mausoleum was built, the second most important monument of history and architecture in South Kazakhstan after the Yassawi mausoleum.
Otrar is a rich center of trade, crafts and arts. Otrar attracted the attention by an enviable location, being at the crossroads of ancient caravan routes. At that time it was ane of the richest and most developed cities of the Silk Road in Central Asia. Otrar is mentioned in the travel records of almost all Arab and Persian authors that had ever visited this region. Otrar was home to one of the greatest philosophers af the East - Abu Nasr al-Farabi (870-950).