 Tash Rabat situated in the surrounding mountains | |
  Tash Rabat Shown within Kyrgyzstan Show map of Kyrgyzstan Tash Rabat Tash Rabat (West and Central Asia) Show map of West and Central Asia Tash Rabat Tash Rabat (Asia) Show map of Asia | |
| Location | Naryn Province, Kyrgyzstan |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°49′23″N75°17′20″E / 40.82315°N 75.288766°E /40.82315; 75.288766 |
| Type | Caravanserai |
| History | |
| Founded | 15th century |
| Site notes | |
| Ownership | Tursun Zhutabaeva (caretaker) |
Tash Rabat is a well-preserved 15th-century stonecaravanserai inAt-Bashy District,Naryn Province,Kyrgyzstan, located at an altitude of 3,200 metres (10,500 ft).
Tash Rabat is located somewhat east of the main north-south highway. To the south are LakeChatyr-Kul andTorugart Pass. To the north isKoshoy Korgon, a ruined fortress of uncertain date.[citation needed]
There has been some debate about whether Tash Rabat was originally built as a caravanserai or a temple. As early as 1888, Russian doctor and traveler Nicolay Lvovich Zeland suggested that the site was originally anEast Syrian orBuddhistmonastery.[1]
Research undertaken at the end of the 1970s and beginning of the 1980s by the Institute of History of theKyrgyz Academy of Sciences concluded that Tash Rabat was originally built as aNestorian monastery in the 10th century, although no Christian artifacts were found duringexcavations. Later it was determined to be a Buddhist monastery as all inscriptions, artifacts and references were found to be Buddhist in nature. This was further supported by the fact that its inhabitants were Buddhist during the period of its construction.[2]
The structure consists of 31 rooms, including chambers in the central hall. The rooms are square and topped with domes which have openings for light at the top; transition from aquadrangular frame to adome is achieved using asquinch. Tash Rabat is completely made ofrubble stone on claymortar withgypsum mortar sealing joints.[3] One of the furthest rooms also has a deep hole in the floor that resembles a well.[citation needed]
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