!!!Panoramas of Tajikistan

Photos by Max Nasekin,
member of the [AirPano Team|Geography/About/Consortium/AirPano,_Team] that is a member of the [global-geography Consortium|Geography/About/Consortium]. \\

05 February 2020

with kind permission of [AirPano|http://www.AirPano.com]

Tajikistan

Tajikistan is a small country in Central Asia but within the area of
141,000 km², there is a significant number of historical and natural
heritage.

The UNESCO World Heritage list includes several items belonging to
Tajikistan, and the Fann Mountains are among them. It is a marvellous
land of lakes and snow-covered peaks lying at the boundary between two
huge ranges of the Pamir-Alay, the Zarafshan range and the Hissor (also
spelt Gissar) range close to a famous ancient city Samarkand.

[{Image src='01_Tajikistan.jpg' caption='Fann Mountains, Tajikistan\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='601'}]

This mountain range includes dozens of five thousanders and four
thousanders; the highest point is Chimtarga Peak (5,489 m). Giant steps
of stony mounds were created by the ancient glaciers. They surround
picturesque valleys, gorges and passes. There are rushing rivers and
lakes among them that gleam with different shades ranging from gentle
green to deep purple.

The largest lake located in the Fann Mountains is Iskanderkul covering
the area of 3.4 km² and being up to 72 m deep. The lake takes its name
from Alexander the Great, as his name sounds like Iskander in Central
Asia. According to a legend, the warlord was leading his forces across
the Fann Mountains and during one of the stops his horse, Bucephalus,
drowned.

[{Image src='02_Tajikistan.jpg' caption='Fann Mountains, Tajikistan\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='601'}]

Iskanderkul lies at an altitude of 2,195 metres above sea level and is
surrounded on all sides by snowy mountains that reflect in the calm
surface of the lake. It is a source for the Iskander Darya river that
forms a waterfall nicknamed "Niagara of the Fanns".

[{Image src='03_Tajikistan.jpg' caption='Fann Mountains, Tajikistan\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='601'}]

There are around 1,450 lakes in the territory of Tajikistan. The largest
lake in the country is Karakul. It lies within a flat mountain basin at
an elevation of 3,914 m in the northern Pamir Mountains. It measures 33
km in length, 24 km in width and covers the area of 380 km². There is an
island dividing the lake into two parts: the eastern with a depth of 22
m and flat banks, and the western with a depth of 236 m and a
precipitous shore. The lake is surrounded by a series of seven
thousanders with Lenin (Avicenna) Peak (7,134 m) being the most
prominent mountain among them. And even though this lake with bright
blue water is fed by the nearby glaciers, the water is very salty.

[{Image src='04_Tajikistan.jpg' caption='Karakul lake, Tajikistan\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='514'}]

In southern Tajikistan, there is a small mountain area Childukhtaron
meaning the "Valley of 40 Girls". There are two legends explaining this
name. It is believed that invaders came to these lands in order to make
the girls their concubines. The girls addressed Allah in prayer and he
turned them into stone. There is another story that tells of the rocks
that appeared after a violent fight with Genghis Khan forces. While
protecting their native lands, 40 young horsewomen blocked the way of
the invaders. They died one by one, then huge stones grew on this site
and stopped the enemies.

Childukhtaron is also famous for its beautiful landscapes. A great
amount of petroglyphs with a wide range of drawings has been preserved
here: they show many scenes between everyday life and hunting episodes.

[{Image src='05_Tajikistan.jpg' caption='Childuhtaron mountains, Tajikistan\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='305'}]

The south-east of the country has another great historical monument, the
fortress-settlement Karon that is widely compared to the famous Machu
Picchu. It located in the historic district of Darvaz on the ancient
caravan road leading to Khorugh and covers the area of around 100 ha.

Karon was uncovered in 2012 by archaeologist Yusufsho Yukubov and the
exploration is still ongoing. Scientists have found the remnants of
playgrounds, an amphitheatre, an observatory, a windmill, temples and
sanctuaries, graveyards, residential buildings, towers and plumbing. The
complex was probably a royal palace. The settlement was abandoned in the
15th century, most likely due to the drain on water resources.

[{Image src='06_Tajikistan.jpg' caption='Excavations of the ancient town of Karon\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='558'}]

Karon is Persian for "Lying at an elevation", as the fortress was built
at the altitude of 2,000 m above sea level. Just below, there is the
Panj River, one of the main rivers of Tajikistan, a tributary of the Amu
Darya.

Have a look from above at these majestic lands full of legends!

[{Image src='07_Tajikistan.jpg' caption='Fann Mountains, Tajikistan\\© [AirPano|https://www.AirPano.com]' alt='' width='900' popup='false' height='558'}]

\\ \\
[15 panoramas of Tajikistan|Geography/Asia/Tajikistan/Pictures/Panoramas] 

[{SET customtitle='Panoramas of Tajikistan (AP)'}]  








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