The Kurgancha-kala fortress is a rare historical monument in eastern Ustyurt. According to the eminent scientist S.P. Tolstoy, the fortress was built to protect the northwestern border of Khorezm, which runs along the natural line of the Ustyurt plateau. It served as the northernmost border outpost of medieval Khorezm, playing a key role in the defense and protection of the region. Perhaps it was the last caravanserai for merchants daring to cross the desolate Ustyurt plateau.
An interesting fact is that 250 km to the southeast, near the village of Takhtakupyr, there is another fortress, Kurgancha-kala, which existed in the 7th-8th centuries, but only barely distinguishable mounds on the surface of the earth remain of its walls.
The Kurgancha-kala on Ustyurt was built during the time of the Khorezmshah state. Its construction began in the 12th century and was completed in the early 13th century, just before the region was hit by Genghis Khan's army. However, the Mongol troops never set foot in these lands, and the fortress continued to function. According to research, Kurgancha-kala was abandoned in the 14th century, and since then, it began to gradually deteriorate.
In the 18th-19th centuries, Kurgancha-kala was known as Davletgirey. In 1717, a Russian army led by Alexander Bekovich-Cherkassky who was called by the tatar name Devlet-Girey-Murza before the adoption of Christianity, passed through the Ustyurt plateau. Although the army moved much further south, local residents believed that the fortress was built by the Russians.
The Kurgancha-kala fortress has dimensions of 37.7 x 44.7 meters, oriented to the cardinal points. The western part of the fortress wall, facing the Ustyurt plateau, is significantly higher and reinforced by two towers—one at the southwest corner and another in the middle of the wall.
There were rooms along the eastern wall, and beads made of blue glass and shells were found on the ruins of one of them.
The central tower features a completely solid semicircular structure without any internal rooms. The surviving corner tower is a massive construction with a perfectly circular plan. It is externally clad with an additional layer of masonry, forming a protective shell. The six lower rows of masonry consist of horizontally laid slabs. Above this, the masonry is laid in a herringbone pattern, interspersed with rows of horizontal slabs, which is typical in Central Asia, in particular in Khorezm, for the Mongolian period.
The building material for the fortress consists of hewn limestone slabs taken from the upper layers of the Ustyurt plateau. The walls and towers have a trapezoidal cross-section, expanding towards the base.
Quite close, on a higher ledge, there is a pyramid made of the same stones, which served as a watchtower or a lighthouse.
In order to see the Kurgancha-kala fortress, you need to drive about 150 km northwest of Muynak or take part in a tour to the Aral Sea. The stone citadel stands on one of the middle ledges of the Ustyurt plateau, which gradually descends to the shore of the Aral Sea. 3 km from the fortress there is a yurt camp, from here you can get to the stone walls by jeep just in 5 minutes, while a walk will take half an hour.
A two-day jeep tour to the Aral Sea is an exciting adventure along the former seabed, where ships sailed just 50 years ago. You will see the breathtaking landscapes of the wastelands and cliffs of the Ustyurt plateau, as well as the difficult road to the current shore of the Aral Sea. Along the way, stops will be made that will provide insights into the past and present of this harsh region. Along the way, you will make stops that will tell you about the past and present of this harsh land. On the way back, you will visit the ship graveyard, which has become a symbol of an environmental disaster. The finale of this unique tour will be a visit to the magnificent ancient archaeological and architectural complex of Mizdakhan, as well as a walk through the ruins of the Gyaur-kala fortress. Having set off on this fascinating journey, you'll take home countless many unforgettable memories!
