Kyrgyz:Баласагын | |
 TheBurana Tower, at the site of what was once Balasagun | |
  Balasagun Shown within Kyrgyzstan Show map of Kyrgyzstan Balasagun Balasagun (West and Central Asia) Show map of West and Central Asia | |
| Alternative name | Gobalik |
|---|---|
| Location | Chüy Region, Kyrgyzstan |
| Region | Sogdia |
| Coordinates | 42°44′49″N75°14′55″E / 42.74694°N 75.24861°E /42.74694; 75.24861 |
| Type | Settlement |
| History | |
| Founded | 9th century |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | In ruins |
Balasagun (Kyrgyz:Баласагун orБаласагынBalasagyn;simplified Chinese:八剌沙衮;traditional Chinese:八剌沙袞;pinyin:Bā là shā gǔn) was an ancientSogdian city in modern-dayKyrgyzstan, located in theChüy Valley betweenBishkek and theIssyk-Kul lake. Located along theSilk Road, the ruins of the city were inscribed in 2014 on theUNESCOWorld Heritage List as part of theSilk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor World Heritage Site.[1]
Balasagun was founded by the Sogdians, a people ofIranian origin and theSogdian language was still in use in this town until the 11th century.[2]
It was the capital of theKara-Khanid Khanate from the 10th century until it was taken by theQara Khitai (Western Liao dynasty) in 1134. It was then captured by the Mongols in 1218. The Mongols called itGobalik "Pretty City". It should not be confused with Karabalghasun, nowOrdu-Baliq in Mongolia, which was the capital of theUyghur Khaganate.
Founded by the Kara-Khanid Khanate in the ninth century, Balasagun soon supplantedSuyab as the main political and economical centre of theChüy Valley; its prosperity declined after the Mongol conquest. The poetYūsuf Balasaguni, known for writing theKutadgu Bilig, is thought to have been born in Balasagun in the 11th century. The city also had a sizableNestorian Christian population; one graveyard was still in use in the 14th century.[3] Since the 14th century, Balasagun is a village with plenty of ruins 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) southeast ofTokmok.
TheBurana zone, located at the edge ofTokmok and 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the present village of Balasagun, was the west end of the ancient city. It includes theBurana Tower and a field of stonepetroglyphs, theKurgan stelae. TheBurana Tower is a minaret built in the 11th century on the ruins of the ancient city Balasagun. It is 24 metres (79 ft) in height, though when it was first built it topped 46 metres (151 ft). Severalearthquakes through the centuries caused much damage, and the current building represents a major renovation carried out in the 1970s.
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