Gumbazes of Issyk-Kul. A distinctive feature of the gumbazes of the high-altitude Sary-Jaz is the use of wood in their construction: columns and logs, which connects them with the gumbazes of Altai. This is not accidental, as many northern areas of the Sary-Jaz ridge are covered with spruce and juniper forests (one site is even called — Forested).
The architectural forms are not diverse. On the left bank of the Inylchek River, 7 km east of the village of Inylchek, there is a group of gumbazes built in the form of small log cabins made of spruce logs on a stone foundation. In general, there are few gumbazes in Sary-Jaz, and they are located in hard-to-reach areas.
For about two centuries, in the area of Juuqa, south of Lake Issyk-Kul, stands the Gumbaz of Balchak, which we surveyed in the summer of 1982. This dome-shaped mausoleum has a high portal flanked by towers that narrow towards the top. In the center of the portal are two door niches and an opening. The spherical dome with small windows rests on a low pedestal.
Gumbaz of Balchak on Juuqa. Issyk-Kul
The portal and entrance are from the east. The dimensions of the gumbaz are 9x8 m. It was built, according to informants, in honor of the local tribal leader Balchak, who lived in the late 18th to early 19th century. The gumbaz was constructed by Kashgar masters. The special mix of clay and the high building skills of the craftsmen determined its durability. Legend has it that Balchak was a very wealthy bey and even during his lifetime built three gumbazes for himself: one in Kashgar, another on Juuqa, and the third in Central Tian Shan — all in traditional places of his migrations. How much this corresponds to reality could not be verified. In any case, it is possible that feudal lords built mausoleums for themselves during their lifetimes, caring for their "afterlife."
Gumbaz of Balchak is quite typical: massive and domed. Similar gumbazes can be found in the village of Darkhan, in the same Issyk-Kul region.
Three and a half decades ago, A. N. Bernshtam surveyed similar gumbazes on the northern shore of the lake near the village of Chon-Saroy. They seem to reproduce residential buildings with walls divided by panels. The tops of the walls were decorated with battlements, imitating "Sasanian towns." Arched projections adorned with semi-columns rose in the center of the walls. These massive mausoleums, A. N. Bernshtam believed, represented more of an example of ancient housing, particularly from the pre-Islamic period, rather than a temple structure. This is generally characteristic of the overwhelming majority of Kyrgyz gumbazes. Such mausoleums are most commonly found in Central Tian Shan and in southern Kyrgyzstan, adjacent to the Muslim cult centers of Fergana.
