Karacol - The Last Harbor of N. M. Przhevalsky

Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky. The first explorer of the nature of Central Asia.

The residents of Karakol were living their usual lives when they learned that the world-famous traveler Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky was coming to their town, having chosen Karakol as the starting point for his fifth Central Asian expedition. Soon, on October 10 (22), a large expedition caravan entered the city, stretching for hundreds of meters. The townspeople greeted Przhevalsky's detachment with enthusiasm. Three days later, they saw him off to the Karakol Gorge, where a camp was set up at the mouth of the Karakol River. By this time, the traveler's health had deteriorated, and at the insistence of Dr. Barsov, he was moved to the eye barrack of the Karakol military hospital - now the territory of a border military unit. On October 20 (November 1), 1888, Przhevalsky passed away. He was buried on the high eastern shore of Issyk-Kul, 12 km from the city of Karakol.

Such was the traveler's will. Thousands of residents from Karakol, nearby villages, and ails came out to see him off on his final journey.

For the Issyk-Kul monument to Przhevalsky, 125,000 rubles were allocated from the imperial treasury. Its project was developed by the traveler's friend, artist A. A. Bilderling, and the sculptor, academician I. N. Shreder.

Construction began in the summer of 1889. It was led by engineer Konstantin Arkadyevich Borisoglebsky. The first two years were spent on preparing the necessary stone blocks of the required quality and size. All the rough, most labor-intensive work on extracting rock, preliminary processing, and transporting them to the shore of Issyk-Kul was carried out by local stonecutters, blacksmiths, carpenters, and other craftsmen from the villages of Preissykul.

In mid-November 1893, the monument was accepted by the commission. However, its official opening took place only on July 8, 1894. The majestic monument makes a vivid impression on those who visit this previously desolate corner for the first time. It consists of a monolithic rock made of gray granodiorite blocks, over 8 meters high and weighing 365 tons. At the top of the rock, a bronze eagle spreads its powerful wings - a symbol of intellect and fearlessness. In its beak is an olive branch - an emblem of the peaceful conquests of science, and in its claws is a map of Central Asia with the routes of the scientist's travels. A cross is affixed to the facade. Below it is a bas-relief with a brief inscription: "Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky. The first explorer of the nature of Central Asia. Born March 31, 1839, died October 20, 1888." The ashes of the great traveler rest 2-3 fathoms behind the monument, closer to the bay of the lake.