Historical and Cultural Monuments of the City of Karakol

In 1888, the great Russian traveler and explorer of Central Asia, Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky, stopped in Karakol.
During his fifth expedition, having arrived from St. Petersburg to Pishpek, he contracted typhoid fever and died in Karakol on October 20. Initially, a wooden cross with a commemorative plaque was erected at the grave of the great scientist. Later, a competition was announced for the best design of a memorial monument. Out of 89 projects, one was approved - the project by a friend and associate of N.M. Przhevalsky, an active member of the Russian Geographical Society, A.A. Bildel'ring.

A model was created by the famous sculptor, an active member of the Russian Academy of Arts, N.M. Shreder. In the summer of 1889, under the guidance of K.A. Borisoglebsky, the construction of the monument began, and its opening took place on June 26, 1894. From March 1889 until 1991, the city of Karakol bore his name.

The Monument to N.M. Przhevalsky is located at the mouth of the Karakol River, at the site of the traveler's burial. It consists of a rock made of granodiorite blocks, crowned with the figure of an eagle - a symbol of intellect and fearlessness. In the eagle's beak is an olive branch, symbolizing the peaceful goals of science, and in its claws is a partially unfurled map of Central Asia with the routes of N.M. Przhevalsky's travels. On the front side of the "rock," a bronze cross is affixed to the polished part of the surface. Below, in a round medallion, there is a bas-relief of Przhevalsky, which is an enlarged copy of the named gold medal cast by the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1886 in recognition of the traveler's achievements. Even lower, an inscription reads: "Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky - the first researcher of Central Asia, born March 31, 1839, died October 20, 1888."



Despite the numerous attributes, the monument features a remarkable combination of solemn power and elegance. The foundation of the composition is a pyramid, emphasizing the steadfastness of ideas and the greatness of man. The scale of the monument is also successful: its height is 8.2 m, and the wingspan of the eagle is about 3 meters.

In 1900, a garden was laid out around the monument and grave over an area of 11 hectares.

On April 29, 1957, a decision was made to construct the N.M. Przhevalsky Museum. In the depths of the garden, near the grave and monument, a building for the memorial museum of N.M. Przhevalsky was constructed according to the design of architect A.M. Shprunt. The museum contains numerous exhibits in ten sections, including personal belongings of the Traveler. In total, the museum includes over 500 exhibits.

The Dungan Mosque is a significant architectural monument from the early 20th century. The builders of the mosque, who came from Eastern Turkestan, utilized the experience and craftsmanship of traditional Dungan wooden architecture.

More than 30 craftsmen participated in the construction of the mosque: woodcarvers, stone masons, and roofing masters led by master Zhou Si. In 1907, the builders began to prepare materials, which included Tien Shan spruce, elm, and local poplar, while walnut was used for decoration. The preparatory work lasted about three years.

In 1910, a frame mosque was assembled. Its size is small compared to Central Asian mosques - 24.8x23 m. It has a traditional rectangular layout with two rows of columns in the eastern and western parts of the building. Windows are arranged in the southern and northern walls, while the western wall of the mosque has no windows - this is where the faces of the worshippers are directed. The mosque has four supporting columns arranged in two rows around the perimeter of the building. The supporting columns stand on hewn stone bases, supporting the patterned wooden cornice and the roof of the mosque. Despite the apparent complexity of the architecture, the building of the mosque is easily assembled without a single nail, as the builders used a system of cuts and grooves.



The carved patterns of the cornices feature ornaments and motifs inspired by folk mythology: fantastic monsters, dragons, phoenixes, and lions, which, according to popular legends, protect the building from disasters and evil spirits.

The coloring of the building, the material, and the color of the roof in Dungan architecture were strictly regulated. All columns were painted red, the walls - purple, and the roof - green, while the carved structures were painted in two colors: plant patterns (grapes, pomegranates, pears, and peaches) in green, and mythological animals in yellow. According to folk mythology, each color has a specific meaning: red protects the building from evil spirits and disasters, yellow brings wealth and greatness, and green brings well-being and happiness.

The Trinity Orthodox Church is located in the center of the city. It was built in 1894-1895 on the site of a five-domed brick church from 1876 that was destroyed during an earthquake. The surviving foundation of the main volume, which has a square plan, was used. The plastered brick foundation of the building rests on a series of granite blocks.



The church retains the general principle of constructing ancient Russian six-domed temples. In front of the portal is a narthex and two adjacent rooms, one of which has a wooden staircase leading to the bell tower.

The church is topped with five domes. The dynamic and picturesque composition of the upper part of the building is completed by the tented covering of the bell tower, located above the narthex.

The drums of the domes are supported by cross-shaped columns and pylons.